NRA goes on the offensive after Senate Democrat attacks its latest ad featuring a cancer survivor as ‘sickening’

The National Rifle Association hit back at criticism of its latest Second Amendment rights advertisement after a top Senate Democrat called the ad "sickening."

What's this ad?

Over the weekend, the NRA published a video featuring cancer survivor Carletta Whiting.

In the video, Whiting — who says she has a fibromyalgia disability — highlighted the importance of gun ownership during the COVID-19 outbreak.

In the video, Whiting said, "What's in my control is how I defend myself if things go from bad to worse. I know from history how quickly society breaks down during a crisis, and we've never faced anything like this before, and never is the Second Amendment more important than during public unrest."

She also added that California liberals are even "lining up because they know the government will not be able to protect them."

Whiting can be seen firing off rounds from her AR-9 rifle.

The pro-2A organization captioned the video, "Americans are flocking to gun stores because they know the only reliable self-defense during a crisis is the #2A. Carletta Whiting, who's disabled & vulnerable to #coronavirus, asks Dems trying to exploit the pandemic: Why do you want to leave people like me defenseless?"

At the time of this writing, the video has received more than 919,000 views.

What did the Democratic lawmaker say?

Sen. Chris Murphy (D-Conn.) issued a scathing tweet directed at the NRA and its latest advertisement.

He wrote, "Mainstream gun owners have left the NRA, so now they're reducing to telling people to stockpile assault weapons, instead of food, to get ready for the coming Coronavirus civil war. So sickening."

How did the NRA respond?

In a statement, Amy Hunter — the organization's director of media relations — told Fox News that Murphy is simply trying to push an anti-gun agenda.

"Sen. Murphy is either being intentionally disingenuous or is obtuse," Hunter said. "Carletta Whiting is one of millions of Americans who feel vulnerable and who know that when crime happens, the police are minutes away — despite their best intentions."

"Right now," she continued, "anti-gun politicians are using the pandemic to try and strip Americans of their Second Amendment rights. Meanwhile, gun sales are increasing because good people are worried their government won't be able to protect them. This is when Americans rely on their Second Amendment rights the most."

According to Fox News, interviews conducted in recent days with gun store owners and sellers indicated that sales this month, on average, have spiked anywhere between 30% and 400%, compared with a "normal" time period.