NRA-PVF Endorsements And Rankings For North Carolina

The NRA Political Victory Fund released its 2012 primary endorsements for North Carolina on April 19th. They only released grades and endorsements in selected races for the US House of Representatives.

A major omission is the race for Governor of North Carolina. In 2008, the NRA-PVF endorsed current Gov. Bev Perdue (D-NC) who has decided not to run for re-election given her poor chances of being re-elected.

The endorsement that I find most interesting is that for Hayden Rogers (D) in the North Carolina 11th Congressional District. Incumbent Rep. Heath Shuler (D-NC-11) decided not to seek re-election after his district was redrawn. Rogers has served as Chief of Staff to Shuler for the last six years and in that position presumably worked closely with the gun rights groups that Shuler supported.

Here are the grades and endorsements. I have put the endorsed candidates in BOLD.

District 2
Republican Primary

Renee Ellmers (R)
Grade: A
Status: Incumbent

Sonya Holmes (R)
Grade: ?
Status: Candidate

Clement F. Munno (R)
Grade: ?
Status: Candidate

Richard Speer (R)
Grade: AQ
Status: Candidate

District 3
Republican Primary

Walter Jones, Jr. (R)
Grade: A
Status: Incumbent

Frank Palombo (R)
Grade: AQ
Status: Candidate

District 6
Republican Primary

Howard Coble (R)
Grade: A
Status: Incumbent

Bill Flynn (R)
Grade: AQ
Status: Candidate

Billy Yow (R)
Grade: AQ
Status: Candidate

District 8
Democratic Primary

Larry Kissell (D)
Grade: A
Status: Incumbent

Marcus W. Williams (D)
Grade: F
Status: Candidate

District 9
Republican Primary

Robert Pittenger (R)
Grade: A
Status: Candidate

Dan Barry (R)
Grade: A
Status: Candidate


Andy Dulin (R)
Grade: AQ
Status: Candidate

Jon Gauthier (R)
Grade: ?
Status: Candidate

Ric Killian (R)
Grade: A-
Status: Candidate

Ken Leonczyk (R)
Grade: AQ
Status: Candidate

Richard Lynch (R)
Grade: AQ
Status: Candidate

Edwin B. Peacock III (R)
Grade: A-
Status: Candidate

Jim Pendergraph (R)
Grade: AQ
Status: Candidate

Michael Shaffer (R)
Grade: AQ
Status: Candidate

Mike Steinberg (R)
Grade: AQ
Status: Candidate

District 10
Republican Primary

Patrick McHenry (R)
Grade: A
Status: Incumbent

Ken Fortenberry (R)
Grade: AQ
Status: Candidate

Don Peterson (R)
Grade: AQ
Status: Candidate

District 11
Republican Primary

Spence Campbell (R)
Grade: ?
Status: Candidate

Susan Harris (R)
Grade: ?
Status: Candidate

Jeff Hunt (R)
Grade: AQ
Status: Candidate

Mark Meadows (R)
Grade: AQ
Status: Candidate

Vance Patterson (R)
Grade: AQ
Status: Candidate

Chris Petrella (R)
Grade: AQ
Status: Candidate

Kenny West (R)
Grade: ?
Status: Candidate

Ethan Wingfield (R)
Grade: AQ
Status: Candidate

District 11
Democratic Primary

Hayden Rogers (D)
Grade: A
Status: Candidate

Cecil Bothwell (D)
Grade: F
Status: Candidate

Tom Hill (D)
Grade: ?
Status: Candidate

District 13
Republican Primary

Paul Coble (R)
Grade: AQ
Status: Candidate

George Holding (R)
Grade: AQ
Status: Candidate

Bill Randall (R)
Grade: AQ
Status: Candidate

District 13
Democatic Primary

Bernard A. Holliday (D)
Grade: F
Status: Candidate

Charles Malone (D)
Grade: ?
Status: Candidate

Here is an explanation of what the grades mean as described by the Political Victory Fund.

The NRA-PVF is non-partisan in issuing its candidate grades and endorsements. We do not base our decisions on a candidate's party affiliation, but rather on his or her record on Second Amendment issues. The NRA is a single issue organization. The only issues on which we evaluate candidates seeking elected office are gun-related issues.

A+   A legislator with not only an excellent voting record on all critical NRA issues, but who has also made a vigorous effort to promote and defend the Second Amendment.

A   Solidly pro-gun candidate. A candidate who has supported NRA positions on key votes in elective office or a candidate with a demonstrated record of support on Second Amendment issues.

AQ   A pro-gun candidate whose rating is based solely on the candidate's responses to the NRA-PVF Candidate Questionnaire and who does not have a voting record on Second Amendment issues.

B   A generally pro-gun candidate. However, a "B" candidate may have opposed some pro-gun reform or supported some restrictive legislation in the past.

C   Not necessarily a passing grade. A candidate with a mixed record or positions on gun related issues, who may oppose some pro-gun positions or support some restrictive legislation.

D   An anti-gun candidate who usually supports restrictive gun control legislation and opposes pro-gun reforms. Regardless of public statements, can usually be counted on to vote wrong on key issues.

F   True enemy of gun owners' rights. A consistent anti-gun candidate who always opposes gun owners' rights and/or actively leads anti-gun legislative efforts, or sponsors anti-gun legislation.

?   Refused to answer the NRA-PVF Candidate Questionnaire, often an indication of indifference, if not outright hostility, to gun owners' and sportsmen's rights.