Missouri Attorney General Chris Koster (right), a Democrat, picked up the endorsement of the NRA. | AP Photo NRA endorses Democrat for Missouri governor

The National Rifle Association's political arm on Tuesday endorsed Missouri Democratic gubernatorial candidate Chris Koster over his Republican rival Eric Greitens, touting the current state attorney general's "proven record in fighting to preserve the Second Amendment."

“Chris Koster has never wavered from his Second Amendment beliefs. For over 17 years, he has fought to preserve the constitutional rights of law-abiding Missourians,” NRA-Political Victory Fund chairman Chris W. Cox, said in a statement. “The NRA is proud to endorse Chris Koster and we urge Missouri’s gun owners and sportsmen to get out this November and vote to elect a governor with a proven record of fighting to preserve the Second Amendment.”


The NRA-PVF passed over Greitens, a Navy veteran and former SEAL who won a closely contested Republican primary in the state and ran an ad depicting him firing a machine gun while declaring that he would "take dead aim at politics as usual."

The organization also on Tuesday endorsed a slate of Republicans seeking office in November, including lieutenant governor candidate Mike Parson, attorney general candidate Josh Hawley, secretary of state candidate Jay Ashcroft and state treasurer candidate Eric Schmitt.

"We're not gonna win the career politician insider endorsement contest," Greitens campaign manager Austin Chambers told POLITICO. "But no one is stronger than Eric on 2nd amendment issues and no one will fight harder to grow jobs and clean up the same old politics as usual holding Missouri back."

Greitens is campaigning Tuesday with GOP vice presidential candidate Mike Pence in Springfield, Missouri, and in Chesterfield, Missouri, in the St. Louis area.