Florida gubernatorial candidate calls NRA child killers — then it gets uglier

A Democratic candidate for Florida governor is under fire for circulating a campaign mailer that claims the National Rifle Association is using children for target practice.

What are the details of the mailer?

Candidate Jeff Greene sent the mailer to Florida residents just months after the Parkland mass killing took place, which took the lives of 17 people.

In the mailer, Greene says that the NRA is "turning our kids into target practice."

"Gun violence has ravaged our state and families," the mailer reads. "Jeff will take on the NRA to make sure schools are safe for our kids and families are safe in our communities."

The mailer details Greene's policy proposals with regard to guns, notably saying that Greene will "ban assault weapons and high-capacity magazines" as well as repair the "broken and loophole-ridden background check system."

Greene also proposes to "block [President Donald] Trump's crazy plan to arm teachers."

You can read more about the mailer here.

Has there been any response to the mailer?

According to the Tampa Bay Times, longtime Florida NRA lobbyist Marion Hammer isn't pleased with Greene's advertisement, and, in an emailed statement to the outlet, called the mailer "repulsive."

"As a mother, grandmother and a proud NRA member for decades, I find his mailer repulsive," Hammer said  Tuesday. "It is clear that Jeff [Greene] is bankrupt of ideas and he has to resort to these dumb ideas to try and get attention for himself and his campaign. When people can't win on fact, they have to resort to cheap stunts like this."

Anything else?

Greene fired back at Hammer's criticism, and, according to the Orlando Sentinel, issued a scathing statement of his own in response on Wednesday.

"Marion Hammer isn’t just a proud NRA member — she’s their hired gun," Greene said. "As a father, I find it 'repulsive' that people like Marion defend the NRA over the lives of our children. She may not have pulled the trigger, but she has blood on her hands."

Greene, a Palm Beach investor, is among five Democratic candidates heading into the Aug. 28 primary. The field includes Orlando-area businessman Chris King, former U.S. Rep. Gwen Graham of Tallahassee, former Miami Beach Mayor Philip Levine,  and Tallahassee Mayor Andrew Gillum.