NRA has problems with robocall in 18th Congressional district

by Chad D. Baus

The Columbus Dispatch is reporting that the National Rifle Association is concerned that a "robo-call" by the Republican congressional candidate's campaign misleads voters into thinking that Bob Gibbs is the NRA-endorsed candidate.

From the article:

In the automated call to voters in eastern and southern Ohio's 18th Congressional District, a man who says he is a longstanding member of the National Rifle Association declares that he's endorsing Gibbs, a state senator from Lakeville, over Rep. Zack Space, D-Dover.

The man in the call, who the Gibbs campaign said is a district resident, declares that Gibbs got "A" ratings from the NRA and Gun Owners of America. He doesn't mention Space's NRA rating but slams Space for a "disappointing 'C' rating" from the Gun Owners of America.

The call does not say that Space is rated "A-plus" and endorsed by the NRA, not Gibbs. Gibbs has an A rating from the Gun Owners of America while Space has a C rating, but that group's ratings include votes not on gun rights, such as what it characterizes as the "Anti-gun ObamaCare Health Bill."

The Space campaign said the call is meant to mislead voters into thinking that it is Gibbs, not Space, who is the NRA-endorsed candidate.

An NRA spokesman agreed.

"We think it is wrong, it's misleading and it's deceitful," NRA spokesman Andrew Arulanandam said yesterday. "The NRA Political Victory Fund is the only entity that makes endorsements on behalf of the NRA. We are the only organization that rates candidates exclusively on gun issues and hunting issues. Based on Congressman Space's record on gun and hunting issues, he has earned an A-plus rating and he earned it the hard way by taking hard votes and being an active co-sponsor on gun rights legislation."

For its part, Buckeye Firearms Association has graded both candidates with an A, but the endorsement was given to Space as the incumbent who has proven himself a friend to gun owners with his actions in Washington D.C.