The National Rifle Association’s key political committee contributed at least $59,350 to Florida Republican congressional candidates during the 2012 election cycle, federal records show. That total only includes campaign contributions and does not reflect any possible “independent expenditures” by the NRA, such as advertising and phone banking.
The largest beneficiaries among Florida congressional candidates were U.S. Rep. Allen West, who received $6,950, and U.S. Reps. Cliff Stearns and Connie Mack, who each received $4,950.
West and Stearns lost their-re-election bids in House districts, while Mack lost his campaign for the U.S. Senate.
In all, the NRA’s Political Victory Fund made contributions to 23 Republican congressional candidates in Florida.
NRA filings with the Federal Election Commission appear to indicate that the organization did not directly contribute to any of the state’s Democratic candidates. The NRA has come under heavy scrutiny during the past week after a mass shooting at a Connecticut elementary school spurred calls for increased gun control.
