SD 12: NRA Ratings To Boost Democrat Young?

Democrat John Mark Young may get a boost in his race with Republican State Rep. Brian Bingman for the Senate District 12 seat in Creek County next week as the National Rifle Association's Political Victory Fund releases its list of endorsed candidates.

Young, a Marine veteran and member of NRA and the Oklahoma Rifle Association, had an NRA-PVF rating of "A" in his 2004 race with Bingman for the House seat Bingman won. Bingman had a rating of just 67 percent, which equates to a "D" grade. That's among the lowest ratings given an Oklahoma legislator. Bingman's allies are perplexed by the rating; they say he's voted for NRA-backed bills in the past two years, particularly this year. It appears Bingman's 67 rating was established in 2004, before he actually took office. That could indicate he failed to return an NRA questionnaire during the campaign, or returned it too late for inclusion in the NRA ratings. The listing on Young mentions his return of the 2004 questionnaire, but in Bingman's case, there is no such mention.

The Senate District 12 race is considered a key one by Republicans trying to take control of the State Senate for the first time in state history. The race is essentially a rematch of the House race of two years ago when the pair faced off.

It's not known yet if Young will get the NRA-PVF nod in the race, but the ratings themselves could be powerful political gas for Young's campaign engine. Bingman's plunge in the NRA ratings may be explained with the new ratings are issued; the ratings sometimes list reasons to explain them. Photos: At left, John Mark Young; at right, Brian Bingman

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