Jacob Ogles
The National Rifle Association’s (NRA) scorecard on Florida candidates gives almost every Republican who filled out a questionnaire an “A.” But only a half dozen candidates earned the endorsement of the organization’s political arm.
The NRA Political Victory Fund is endorsing Reps. Fabian Basabe, James Buchanan, Dana Trabulsy and Brad Yeager and for re-election. The group is also backing Republican candidate Sam Greco in House District 19 and Erika Booth in House District 35.
Meanwhile, nearly every Democrat who submitted a questionnaire received an “F,” including Reps. Bruce Antone, Daryl Campbell, Kim Daniels, Ashley Gantt, Rita Harris and Angie Nixon. But the NRA declined to endorse anyone in a Democratic Primary, and declined to pick sides in 15 Republican Primaries for House seats.
The NRA-PVF issued grades only on legislative candidates in Aug. 20 Primaries. Grades were based on voting records and stated positions by candidates, and the group marked endorsed candidates for legislative races at the federal and state level.
The open seat races stood out. Booth and Greco earned qualified grades of “AQ,” meaning the organization considers them both “pro-gun” candidates based solely on responses to an official questionnaire, but neither has a voting record to back that up. In contrast, the four incumbents earning endorsements all earned “A” grades.
Greco is running for outgoing House Speaker Paul Renner’s seat in the Legislature and has a substantial fundraising advantage over Republican Primary opponent Darryl Boyer. Boyer did not submit any questionnaire responses, according to the NRA-PVF.
Booth, meanwhile, was the Republican nominee in a House District 35 Special Election won by Democratic Rep. Tom Keen earlier this year. She hopes to face Keen again in November, but she first faces Laura McAdams Gomez in a Republican Primary. Gomez did not submit a questionnaire to the NRA.
Basabe, Buchanan, Trabulsy and Yeager are the only Republican incumbents seeking re-election to the House who face GOP Primary opposition. In House District 56, Yeager faces Kirk Phillip. Buchanan was challenged by Michelle Pozzie in House District 74. Both Pozzie and Phillip received grades of “AQ” but had no record to back that up, and the NRA endorsed the incumbents.
Trabulsy, meanwhile, faces an intraparty challenge from Johnny Lloyd in House District 84 and Basabe must fend off Melinda Altamonte in a Primary bout in House District 106, but neither of their challengers filled out a survey, making the NRA endorsement an easier grab.
Basabe credited the support from the NRA to his willingness to balance needs like school hardening with public safety legislation this year.
“Gun control is a very sensitive topic – horrific, in fact, for those who have lost beloved family members and dear friends in the most senseless of tragedies,” Basabe said. “Yet, it is a topic that continues to exist, as long as guns do. The Second Amendment of our Constitution states that every citizen has Right to Bear Arms and I believe in and respect our Constitution – the one document that unites us all as Americans. …
“I thank the partnership of the NRA and I look forward to working on strengthening safety measures during our next session. I truly believe only together, with dialogue and collaboration, we can proactively move forward to a safer District 106, a safer Florida, and a safer America.”
In every Primary for open seats, the NRA issued grades but did not offer an endorsement in August.
Of note, every Republican candidate who submitted questionnaires received an “AQ” grade except one, House District 48 candidate Chad Davis. He earned a “B.”
Likewise, every Democratic candidate who submitted responses earned a grade of “F,” except for House District 46 candidate Jacqueline Centeno, who earned a “D.”
