Just eight years ago, the National Rifle Association dished out $372,000 in campaign contributions to a record 66 Democratic incumbents.

By the 2016 cycle, that number had dwindled to four.

At a time when several mass shootings have shocked a nation — prompting calls for stricter gun regulations even from some Republicans — the NRA has become something of a boogeyman for many Democrats.

How that will play out politically is still a question mark. For Democratic lawmakers in urban areas and districts that have dealt with mass shootings, shunning the NRA and pushing for gun control may not be a hard choice.

For vulnerable Democrats in districts and states where a gun rights culture has deeper roots, failing to earn the NRA’s endorsement has its perils.