Behind the Ad: W. Virginia Sen. Joe Manchin responds to the NRA

By Richard K. Barry

(Another in our extensive Behind the Ad series.)

Who: Sen. Joe Manchin (D)

Where: West Virginia

What's going on: Manchin has a new 30 second spot in which he talks about being a lifelong member of the National Rifle Association but says that he isn't tied to them on every issue.

The Washington Post:

“I’m a lifetime NRA member, but I don’t walk in lockstep with the NRA’s Washington leadership, this administration or any interest group,” Manchin says in the commercial, which debuted Thursday on MSNBC’s “Morning Joe.” Throughout the ad, Manchin is handling a gun.

Manchin and Sen. Pat Toomey (R-PA) introduced a measure on expanding background checks for those wishing to purchase guns, though the legislation failed in the Senate earlier in the year. This has made Manchin a target of the NRA.

 In the spot, Manchin tells viewers to tell the NRA to support expanded background checks.

 

(Cross-posted at Phantom Public.)