NRA Nukes GOPer’s Rating From ‘A’ To ‘F’ Over One Quote

This April 30 2012 photo shows Mark Greenberg, Republican candidate for the 5th Congressional seat, answering a question during a GOP debate at the Torrington City Hall in Torrington, Conn. Connecticut's 5th Congress... This April 30 2012 photo shows Mark Greenberg, Republican candidate for the 5th Congressional seat, answering a question during a GOP debate at the Torrington City Hall in Torrington, Conn. Connecticut's 5th Congressional District race is expected once again to be an expensive battle, attracting millions of dollars in outside money. Both the Democratic freshman incumbent, U.S. Rep. Elizabeth Esty, and Greenberg, her Republican businessman opponent, have already been targeted by their national parties as candidates that potential donors should watch. (AP Photo/Republican-American, Christopher Massa) MORE LESS
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Connecticut Republican Mark Greenberg’s support for universal background checks just cost him perfect marks from the National Rifle Association.

The NRA reduced the wealthy businessman’s rating from an “A” to and “F” after he came out in favor of background checks during a Thursday debate against Rep. Elizabeth Esty (D), The Connecticut Mirror reported. The district Greenberg is hoping to represent includes Newtown, Conn., the site of the 2012 Sandy Hook Elementary School massacre.

What’s more, third-time candidate Greenberg predicted he’d be downgraded once his opponent pointed out he was running afoul of the NRA.

“I’ll tell you no member of Congress who supports a background check gets an A rating,” Esty said during the debate, according to WSHU.

“As a matter of fact I was as shocked as anybody that I got the A rating from the NRA since I didn’t seek it. I didn’t even fill out their questionnaire,” Greenberg reportedly said.

“I’ll be downgraded to an ‘F’ after tonight,” he added.

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Notable Replies

  1. Pretty sure that’s going to work in his favor.

  2. Greenburg should wear that “F” as a badge of honor, and exploit the fact that he has the huevos to think outside of the NRA’s pine box.

  3. To be fair the NRA only has two grades, A and F.

    Absolutism is a virtue ~ Wayne LaPierre

  4. " extremism in the defense of liberty is no vice!" - Barry Goldwater

    But Barry actually had a clue what liberty entailed and it wasn’t the NRA

  5. “Pretty sure that’s going to work in his favor.”

    Maybe, but I doubt it. It might help him a little with independents, and moderate Republicans (of which there are still a few in Connecticut) but he still needs to combine that with a good turnout from the gun-lovin’ base to win – and I wouldn’t be surprised if a lot of those folks were willing to withhold their votes in order to punish the heretic, even if doing so allows Etsy to win. I also wouldn’t be surprised if some “independent” group that supports Etsy sends out mailers to Republicans highlighting Greenberg’s “F” rating from the NRA.

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