Written by Alex Gault for the Watertown Daily Times on September 7, 2020

The National Rifle Association and the New York State Rifle and Pistol Association on Friday announced their endorsements for the 2020 election, and two north country incumbents received high marks.

Rep. Elise M. Stefanik, R-Schuylerville, received an “A+” ranking, the highest of the entire New York state congressional delegation. Rep. Stefanik also gained the endorsement of the NRA and the NYSRPA last week.

“(Elise Stefanik) has always kept her promise to north country voters to fight to protect and uphold the United States Constitution,” Tom King, the executive director of the NYSRPA, said in a release. “She is New York’s strongest defender of the Second Amendment in Congress, and she has earned an A+ rating for going above and beyond to protect our Second Amendment rights.”

In the 2018 election, Rep. Stefanik received an “A” rating from the NRA and NYSRPA and was also endorsed by both organizations.

Rep. Stefanik’s Democratic opponent, Tedra L. Cobb, received an “F” rating from the NRA and NYSRPA, matching almost every other Democratic candidate for a New York state house seat this year.

Ms. Cobb’s failing grade comes as the NRA and the Stefanik campaign continue to hammer her over a video taken covertly during the 2018 race caught Ms. Cobb saying she personally supports a ban on assault weapons, but cannot publicly support that position.

For the state Assembly, Assemblyman Mark C. Walczyk, R-Watertown, was endorsed by the NRA and NYSRPA, and given an “A” rating. During the last election cycle, when Mr. Walczyk was first running for office, he was given an “Aq” rating. The “q” indicates he was graded solely off of his answers to the candidate questionnaire.

His opponent in the District 116 race, Democrat Alex V. Hammond, was not graded. This typically occurs when a candidate does not fill out the NRA’s candidate questionnaire, and lacks a voting record to reference.

You can read the full article at https://www.nny360.com/