NRA grades candidates
Adam Putnam, candidate for governor who calls himself “a proud NRA sellout,” gets an A+. At the other end, with an F-, is state Rep. Jared Moscowitz, whose district includes Parkland.
The National Rifle Association has released new grades for Florida candidates, and Republican candidate for governor Adam Putnam is on the top of the list.
Putnam — who has been targeted by student activists for proclaiming himself to be a “proud NRA sellout”— received anA+ fromthe gun rights organization with an estimated 5 million members.
Putnam scored better than his Trump-endorsed primary opponent U.S. Rep. Ron DeSantis. The NRA gave him an A.
On the other end of the spectrum, state Rep. Jared Moskowitz, whose district includesMarjory Stoneman Douglas High School, scored an F-, the lowest grade of any South Florida lawmaker.
His emotional speech helped to secure the passage of a state law that raised the age to purchase a rifle from18 to 21, along with other reforms prompted by the Parkland massacre that killed 17 students and staff.
Three Democratic candidates for governor scored F’s— AndrewGillum, Gwen Graham and Philip Levine. Winter Park businessman Chris King was given a question mark, while Palm Beach billionaire Jeff Greene— a latecomer to the race — was omitted from the list.
Democratic South Florida state Sens. Bobby Powell and Gary Farmer received F’s. Farmer’s primary challenger, former state Rep. JimWaldman, scored a D+.
Several South Florida state representatives also received F’s, including Roy Hardemon, Patricia Hawkins-Williams, Kristin Jacobs andDavid Silvers.
U.S. Rep. Brian Mast — once an A-rated candidate — received a question mark in the latest ratings. TheRepublican congressman from the Treasure Coast called for abanofAR-15-style rifles after the Parkland shooting. His Republican challengers in the primary election — Dave Cummings and Mark Freeman — received AQ’s, an A-rating based on answers to a questionnaire.
Democratic candidates in the race — Lauren Baer and Pam Keith — both received F’s.
The NRA has not released grades for the U.S. Senate contest between incumbent Democrat Bill Nelson and Republican Gov. Rick Scott.
The NRA also did not release grades for all of the contests that will be on the Aug. 28 ballot.
The entire list of grades can be viewed at nrapvf.org/ grades/florida/