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Navy SEAL Running For Governor With Machine Gun Ads Doesn't Get NRA Endorsement

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (CBS13/AP) — A Navy SEAL who ran a campaign ad showing him firing a machine gun did not earn the endorsement of the National Rifle Association for Missouri Governor.

KMOX News says the NRA is endorsing Republican Eric Grietens' Democratic opponent in the November election.

The NRA cited Attorney General Chris Koster's high rating with the organization and previous legislative and accomplishments on behalf of the firearm industry and gun owners.

Grietens has tried to close a funding gap between he and Koster. Campaign finance reports filed last month show Navy SEAL officer Greitens raised about $4.6 million from late July through Aug. 27.

Koster raised about $2 million in cash during that time period, records show.

But Koster has nearly triple the amount of cash to spend as Greitens, with close to $9.5 million compared with Greitens' $3.2 million.

During the primary Grietens gained national attention with campaign ads like this one, featuring him seated at a machine gun and targeting bureaucrats and liberals "trying to steal another election."

Big Guns by Eric Greitens on YouTube

Greitens spent millions of dollars leading up to a contentious and expensive four-way GOP primary Aug. 2, and he's spent more than $10 million in total on his gubernatorial bid.

He's been working to replenish his campaign coffers since the primary, and campaign finance records show he's had some success. After he won the GOP nomination, the Republican Governors Association gave him $3.5 million — the majority of what he's recently raised.

Koster sat on a bigger pot of money — more than $10.8 million in cash as of July 21 — heading into a far less costly primary.

 

Copyright 2016 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.

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