SIMI VALLEY : NRA Vows to Aid Gallegly in Race

An official with the National Rifle Assn. said on Thursday the group will “do whatever it takes” to reelect Rep. Elton Gallegly (R-Simi Valley) to a House seat representing most of Ventura County.

“I’m going to do everything I can to make sure he wins,” David Gibbons, director of the NRA’s federal affairs office in Washington, said in a telephone interview.

Gallegly is running against Democrat Anita Perez Ferguson of Oxnard in the 23rd Congressional District. He is a member of the NRA and is considered one of its staunchest supporters.

Gibbons declined to disclose how much the NRA plans to budget for Gallegly’s reelection effort.

“Like military campaigns, you never give away your strategy,” he said.

What’s more, Gibbons said, the NRA probably will not make a final decision on what form the help will take until a few weeks before the election to give the organization an opportunity to assess the closeness of the race.

By mid-October, he said, the NRA will determine which candidates across the country “need the most help, based on polls” and reports from candidates’ organizations.

So far, he said, nine congressional candidates in California, including Gallegly, could receive financial help from the NRA.

Perez Ferguson has thus far received about $150,000 in campaign contributions and has about $50,000 cash on hand, according to her campaign manager, Sam Rodriguez.

Chuck Jelloian, Gallegly’s campaign manager, declined to offer updated cash figures. As of June 30, Gallegly had $315,353 cash on hand, according to his federal expenditure report.