NYS Rifle and Pistol Association gives A ratings to North Country Republicans
The New York State Rifle and Pistol Association gave A ratings to several North Country Republican lawmakers and candidates based on their positions on gun rights and gun control.
By Caleb Mercer, ClickNNY North Country Desk
The New York State Rifle and Pistol Association has given A ratings to several North Country Republican lawmakers and candidates based on their positions on gun rights and gun control.
The ratings went to U.S. Rep. Claudia Tenney, R-Cleveland; NY-21 Republican nominee Anthony Constantino; state Sens. Daniel Stec, R-Queensbury, and Mark Walczyk, R-Sackets Harbor; and Assemblyman Scott Gray, R-Watertown. The association also endorsed Republican candidates Tammie Nabywaniec in the 117th District and Heather Scribner in the 118th District.
The association sent candidates a questionnaire over the summer. The results were published in the latest issue of its digital magazine, The Bullet, and in its 2026 candidate questionnaire results.
The New York State Rifle and Pistol Association describes itself as a firearms advocacy organization and the state association affiliated with the National Rifle Association. The group dates to 1871. Its members were petitioners in the U.S. Supreme Court's Bruen case, and the organization filed a legal challenge to the SAFE Act in 2013.
The association also gave A grades statewide to Republican candidates Bruce Blakeman for governor, Saritha Komatireddy for attorney general and Joseph Hernandez for comptroller. Of 183 candidates listed, 101 received asterisks instead of letter grades.
The NY-21 race includes Constantino, who defeated Assemblyman Robert Smullen in the June 23 Republican primary, and Democrat Blake Gendebien, a St. Lawrence County dairy farmer. The general election is scheduled for Nov. 3, 2026.
The association's homepage says the questionnaire response deadline was extended at candidates' request. The full ratings and additional information are available from the New York State Rifle and Pistol Association. Questions about the ratings can be sent to info@nysrpa.org.
Reported by ClickNNY and reviewed by an editor before publication.
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