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Friday, June 21, 2013

Manchin responds to NRA ads with his own, urging gun lobby to support wider background checks

Democratic Sen. Joe Manchin of West Virginia has responded to National Rifle Association television advertisements urging him not to support gun restrictions with his own TV spots in which he asks the NRA to support background checks. Manchin, whose term doesn't expire until 2018, spent $100,000 of campaign funds on the ads, which began running Thursday in West Virginia, and will continue to air for one week, Dave Boucher reports for the Charleston Daily Mail.

Manchin co-wrote the gun-control bill requiring stronger background checks that failed to get the required three-fifths majority in the Senate. He blamed the NRA for telling senators it would use their vote in rating them. The gun lobby responded with TV ads questioning the lifetime NRA member's commitment to protecting the Second Amendment, Daniel Strauss reports for The Hill. The NRA ads cost $100,000, and were scheduled to run for two weeks in West Virginia.

In his ad, Manchin says, "I'm a lifetime NRA member, but I don't walk in lockstep with the NRA's Washington leadership, this administration or any special interest group. . . . Call the NRA, and tell them to support criminal background checks." Manchin said he's not afraid to risk losing his seat in continuing to fight for the measure, but did not say if or when he would try to reintroduce background-check expansions, Boucher reports.

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