Lampson the latest NRA Democrat

Calling him a “great friend to gun owners and hunters in the Lone Star State,” the National Rifle Association (NRA) on Tuesday formally endorsed Democratic Rep. Nick Lampson (Texas), who is in a pitched battle to continue representing a solidly Republican district.

{mosads}The endorsement from the powerful gun lobby — which has already blessed Lampson with an “A” voting record — could go a long way toward combating the attempts by Lampson’s Republican challenger, Pete Olson, to paint Lampson as a liberal.

The Olson campaign did not respond to a request for comment.

Lampson is now at least the seventh House Democrat to win an endorsement from the Second Amendment protectionist lobby.