BIRMINGHAM, Ala. — Ahead of the Republican primary runoff in Alabama, the National Rifle Association has dropped nearly a million dollars in ads attacking Judge Roy Moore for being "a little soft on gun rights."

In a state were the Second Amendment is sacrosanct and second only to NASCAR, that's a serious charge. It's also one that Moore said "is completely false."

"I've been a deputy sheriff, still am deputy sheriff — honorary, military police, fought in Vietnam. I know guns," Moore told local WYDE radio host Scott Beason. And then to discount the NRA's endorsement of incumbent Sen. Luther Strange, the front-runner took another shot.

"I've got guns. I've certainly got more guns than my opponent," Moore claimed. "I won't say how many guns I've got."

A spokesman for the Strange campaign laughed off that statement, confirming that the senator does indeed own a gun. The variety and quantity of firearms in the senator's gun cabinet, however, was not clear by press time.

Regardless of each candidate's armory, the NRA endorsement has created significant controversy. While it's the organization's general practice to only support incumbents, Moore is angry that the group has picked a side in the race.

"I can't do anything about it," Moore said. "I don't have 30 million dollars to put on false negative ads. I haven't run any false negative ads."

Philip Wegmann is a commentary writer for the Washington Examiner.