Phil Bredesen, the Democratic candidate to replace departing Senator Bob Corker in the Tennessee Senate race, is using an outdated rating from the National Rifle Association in a recent campaign advertisement — and the NRA is having none of it.
“As governor, I had an A-rating from the NRA,” Bredesen says in the ad geared toward Tennessee gun owners that touts his “real independence.”
Real independence and not party politics — that’s what’s right for Tennessee. pic.twitter.com/BmyyvJGL2e
— Phil Bredesen (@PhilBredesen) September 19, 2018
NRA Political Victory Fund chairman Chris Cox was quick to point out Bredesen’s current rating.
“Phil Bredesen is a ‘D’ rated candidate, and he will not protect our constitutional rights in Washington, D.C.,” Cox said in a statement, the Washington Free Beacon reported. “Tennesseans should not be fooled by his false and misleading campaign ads.”
Cox also fired back at Bredesen via Twitter:
@PhilBredesen It’s not 2002, you’re not governor and you’re not A-rated by the NRA. Its 2018, you have earned a D rating for turning your back on self-defense and supporting the Hillary/Schumer/Bloomberg gun control agenda. @VoteMarsha is a 2A champion. You’re not. #stoplying pic.twitter.com/Wi0ORRmQTv
— Chris Cox (@ChrisCoxNRA) September 20, 2018
“It’s not 2002, you’re not governor and you’re not A-rated by the NRA,” Cox tweeted. “It’s 2018, you have earned a D rating for turning your back on self-defense and supporting the Hillary/Schumer/Bloomberg gun control agenda. @VoteMarsha is a 2A champion. You’re not.”
Tennessee’s Republican Party accused the Democratic Senate candidate of “talking out of both sides of his mouth.”
“Phony Phil is caught talking out of both sides of his mouth once again, and the NRA is right to call out Bredesen for his false claims,” Tennessee Republican Party chairman Scott Golden told the Beacon. “Gun owners and all Tennesseans who care about our Second Amendment freedoms recognize that Marsha Blackburn is the only one in this race who will stand up to the national Democrats’ radical anti-gun agenda.”
The NRA has instead chosen to support Bredesen’s opponent, Rep. Marsha Blackburn.
“Bredesen will vote against Tennessee values in Washington,” Cox said on Wednesday. “He will kowtow to the gun control elitists and support Chuck Schumer and Nancy Pelosi’s anti-freedom agenda. His new ad is a shameful attempt to fool the voters in his home state, and NRA members won’t be fooled.”