The United States National Rifle Association (NRA) launched a new ad on Tuesday, August 9 in which Democratic Presidential Candidate Hillary Clinton is accused of being an elitist that wants to change gun laws and “leave you defenseless.”
The ad is reportedly targeted at states where the race is still very close, such as Nevada, North Carolina, Ohio and Pennsylvania. The ad cost the NRA about $3 million, making it the most expensive pro-Trump ad to date. The NRA’s total spending for this election cycle has reached nearly $6 million.
The spot calls Clinton “out of touch” for having lived under Secret Service protection and promoting gun control.
The release of the ad adds extra controversy to Trump’s newest claim that many interpreted as a threat of violence toward Clinton.
“Hillary wants to abolish — essentially abolish the Second Amendment,” Trump said. “By the way, if she gets to pick, if she gets to pick her judges, nothing you can do, folks.”
He continued by adding, “But I tell you what, that will be a horrible day, if Hillary gets to put her judges in, now we’re tied.”
Following Trump’s remarks regarding Hillary Clinton and the Second Amendment, the NRA responded with the following tweets:
“@RealDonaldTrump is right. If @HillaryClinton gets to pick her anti-#2A #SCOTUS judges, there’s nothing we can do. #NeverHillary”
.@RealDonaldTrump is right. If @HillaryClinton gets to pick her anti-#2A #SCOTUS judges, there’s nothing we can do. #NeverHillary
— NRA (@NRA) August 9, 2016
“But there IS something we will do on #ElectionDay: Show up and vote for the #2A! #DefendtheSecond #NeverHillary”
But there IS something we will do on #ElectionDay: Show up and vote for the #2A! #DefendtheSecond #NeverHillary
— NRA (@NRA) August 9, 2016
Trump clarified he was insisting his supporters exercise their right to vote to stop a Democratic presidential nominee from appointing judges who could restrain their Second Amendment rights.
The ad, which shows the back of a woman who looks like Clinton walking onto a private plane with Secret Service agents surrounding her, was paid for by the NRA Political Victory Fund. The narrator says “She is one of the wealthiest women in politics with a combined income of $30 million.”
The narrator continues by saying, “She tours the world on private jets, protected by armed guards for 30 years. But she doesn’t believe in your right to keep a gun at home for self-defense.”
“An out of touch hypocrite. She’d leave you defenseless,” the ad ends.
Clinton responded to the ad on CNN, saying “the gun lobby is coming to Donald Trump’s defense and spending millions of dollars to spread lies about Hillary Clinton because they know Trump will always do their bidding.”
Hillary’s campaign also responded by saying she “supports common sense measures like comprehensive background checks that will help decrease the number of gun deaths our nation suffers every day.”
Hillary Clinton has said she wants to protect the right to bear arms, but increase measures to lower the number of deaths caused by firearms a year.
The ad comes after Trump struggled to stop defections, as many of the GOP’s strongest donors, politicians and supporters are jumping ship in response to his recent conduct.