Roy Blunt's Senate Challenger Can Assemble An AR-15 Blindfolded

WASHINGTON ― Jason Kander, the Democratic challenger trying to unseat Sen. Roy Blunt (R-Mo.) in November, is calling out Blunt for not supporting tighter background checks on gun sales ― and in a way that only someone with Kander’s military background could do.

In an ad released Wednesday titled “Background Checks,” Kander, who is currently Missouri’s secretary of state, stands at a table assembling an AR-15 rifle while talking about his time in the U.S. Army. Oh, and he’s blindfolded.

“Senator Blunt has been attacking me on guns,” Kander says, jamming together gun parts he can’t see. “In Afghanistan, I volunteered to be an extra gun in a convoy of unarmored SUVs. And in the state legislature, I supported Second Amendment rights. I also believe in background checks so that terrorists can’t get their hands on one of these.”

Then, in dramatic fashion, he peels off the blindfold, looks into the camera and holds up the now-assembled rifle.

“I approve this message,” Kander says, “because I’d like to see Senator Blunt do this.”

Watch the ad here:

Blunt has voted at least twice against strengthening the background check system by closing the so-called gun show loophole and extending checks to all internet gun sales. About 90 percent of Americans support these reforms.

Kander’s ad comes after the National Rifle Association ran a spot accusing him of being weak on Second Amendment rights. The NRA endorsed Blunt in April.

The gun group was not impressed with Kander’s response:

The Blunt campaign did not respond to a request for comment.

Blunt is leading Kander in the polls by about 5 percentage points, according to HuffPost Pollster.

The story has been updated with the NRA’s tweet.