NRA's political arm grades Alaska governor field, with A's for Bronson and Taylor

The National Rifle Association's political arm has given A grades to Republicans Dave Bronson and Treg Taylor and a C to Democrat Jonathan Kreiss-Tomkins in Alaska's governor's race. The grades come from the NRA Political Victory Fund's Alaska grades for the Nov. 3 general election, posted by mid-September.

Republican Bernadette Wilson got an AQ, the fund's grade for a pro-gun candidate with no voting record on Second Amendment issues, based only on answers to its questionnaire. The fund calls a C "not necessarily a passing grade," meaning a candidate has a mixed record or mixed positions on gun-related issues.

Of the four running mates, only Michael Shower, Wilson's running mate, got a letter grade: an A. The other three carry a question mark, which the NRA says can mean a candidate didn't answer its questionnaire or gave answers that conflict with past statements or positions.

The fund lists no endorsement in the governor's race, though it endorses 25 other Alaska candidates.

Before the August primary, the fund's page graded tickets rather than individual candidates. Its top grades, A+, went to tickets led by Shelley Hughes, Click Bishop and Lesil McGuire, none of which advanced past the primary. Bronson's and Wilson's tickets had A's, Taylor's an AQ and Kreiss-Tomkins' a C.

The fund filed a registration form Monday with the Alaska Public Offices Commission, the state's campaign finance regulator. The form doesn't say which races, if any, the fund plans to enter.