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One Ally Remains Firmly Behind Donald Trump: The N.R.A.
Donald J. Trump’s candidacy has driven away throngs of Republican elected officials, donors and policy experts. But not the National Rifle Association.
With Mr. Trump increasingly isolated and hobbled by controversies of his own making, the powerful gun-rights group has emerged as one of his remaining stalwart allies in the Republican coalition: the institution on the right most aggressively committed to his candidacy, except for the Republican National Committee itself.
The association has spent millions of dollars on television commercials for Mr. Trump, even as other Republican groups have kept their checkbooks closed and Mr. Trump’s campaign has not run any ads of its own. The N.R.A.’s chief political strategist, Chris Cox, gave a forceful testimonial for Mr. Trump at the Republican convention; Mr. Trump has repeatedly praised Mr. Cox and the association’s executive vice president, Wayne LaPierre.
And on Tuesday, when Mr. Trump roiled the presidential race anew with a rough comment — his critics interpreted it as a suggestion that “Second Amendment people” could attack Hillary Clinton or the judges she would appoint if elected president — the association rushed to defend his remark as no more than an attempt to rally gun enthusiasts to vote in November.
With Mr. Trump increasingly isolated and hobbled by controversies of his own making, the powerful gun-rights group has emerged as one of his remaining stalwart allies in the Republican coalition: the institution on the right most aggressively committed to his candidacy, except for the Republican National Committee itself.
The association has spent millions of dollars on television commercials for Mr. Trump, even as other Republican groups have kept their checkbooks closed and Mr. Trump’s campaign has not run any ads of its own. The N.R.A.’s chief political strategist, Chris Cox, gave a forceful testimonial for Mr. Trump at the Republican convention; Mr. Trump has repeatedly praised Mr. Cox and the association’s executive vice president, Wayne LaPierre.
And on Tuesday, when Mr. Trump roiled the presidential race anew with a rough comment — his critics interpreted it as a suggestion that “Second Amendment people” could attack Hillary Clinton or the judges she would appoint if elected president — the association rushed to defend his remark as no more than an attempt to rally gun enthusiasts to vote in November.
http://www.nytimes.com/2016/08/11/us/politics/donald-trump-second-amendment-nra.html
