By DAVID A. LIEB, Associated Press
JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (AP) - Mitt Romney is seeking to assure gun-rights activists that he's squarely on their side.
The presidential contender headlines a who's who of prominent Republicans scheduled to speak Friday at the National Rifle Association's annual convention in St. Louis. And he perhaps has the most to prove.
As a candidate for the Senate in Massachusetts, Romney once assured voters that he didn't line up with the NRA. He has since signed up for a lifetime NRA membership and promotes himself as a strong supporter of Second Amendment rights.
The NRA has set a goal of ousting Democratic President Barack Obama in this year's elections. As Obama's likely opponent, Romney hopes to reap the rewards of the NRA's network of more than 4 million members.
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Associated Press