The National Rifle Association’s Political Victory Fund is using its general election endorsements to mostly support General Assembly incumbents, although the group also backs a challenger to one House incumbent, and favors Republican candidates in the races for three of six open House seats.
In Cranston, the NRA’s Political Victory Fund supported House Speaker Nicholas Mattiello (with an A+ rating) over GOP challenger Steven Frias (who has a B rating.)
Meanwhile, the gun advocacy group endorsed Republican challenger Robert J. Quattrocchi in his run against state Rep. Michael Marcello (D-Scituate). Marcello receives a B rating, while Quattrocchi gets an A.
The NRA Political Victory Fund endorses Republican Stacia Huyler over Democrat Evan Shanley, in the race for the Warwick seat being vacated by Republican Joe Trillo.
In Bristol, the group backs GOP candidate Antonio F. Avila over Democrat Susan Donovan for the seat formerly held by Democratic Rep. Ray Gallison.
Not surprisingly, the NRA PVF picks Republican Kenneth Mendonca over Democrat Linda Finn, an outspoken critic of gun violence, in the race for the seat vacated by GOP Rep. Daniel Reilly of Portsmouth.
There’s no endorsement in the race for the seat vacated by Rep. Karen MacBeth (R-Cumberland) between Republican Lisa Cannon and Democrat Alex Marszalkowski, even though the NRA PVF gives Cannon a higher grade.
The NRA’s Political Victory Fund backs 21 incumbents in the Senate and 41 incumbents in the House, while skipping endorsements in some contested races.
The NPRA PVF backs Donald Trump for president. The group did not make endorsements in the state’s two congressional races.
