VIRGINIA BEACH

Virginia's largest gun rights group and the state's professional firefighters organization took opposite sides Monday in this year's governor's race.

Four years after the National Rifle Association endorsed Democrat Creigh Deeds in his failed bid for attorney general, the gun rights group switched its allegiance to Republican Bob McDonnell.

The NRA's chief lobbyist, Chris Cox, praised McDonnell for his support of gun rights during his time as attorney general and criticized Deeds for backing legislation that would close the so-called gun-show loophole, which allows firearms purchasers to avoid background checks if they buy weapons from private sellers at gun shows.

"A lot has changed," Cox said. "Bob McDonnell is an effective leader for Virginia hunters and gun owners. His opinions and actions as an attorney general have protected and enhanced the Second Amendment rights of law-abiding Virginians."

McDonnell acknowledged he has switched his position on a 1993 law change that limits gun sales in Virginia to one a month. He had voted for the limit while a

legislator but vowed Monday to support its repeal if elected governor.

Deeds opposed the one-gun-a-month law, but in the wake of the 2007 Virginia Tech shootings, he supported closing the gun-show loophole. The Tech shooter's two handguns were not purchased at a gun show.

"I've worked with Virginia Tech families over the last year or so to try to find compromise with that legislation that would close the loophole," Deeds said. "So many families that lost children put their grief into that effort. I felt the need to respond to that grief as a father and as a human being."

In 2005, Deeds called the NRA's endorsement "very, very important." On Monday, he dismissed the group as "basically a Republican organization."

Cox said the group will urge its 120,000 dues-paying members in Virginia to back McDonnell and will devote financial resources to help him.

A few minutes before the NRA's announcement, the Virginia Professional Firefighters, which represents 6,500 members, endorsed Deeds during a break in a firefighter training conference in Virginia Beach.

Abbey Meacham, a five-year veteran of the Lynchburg department, told about 50 firefighters at the announcement that she took personal offense at some of McDonnell's past comments, particularly his 1989 graduate thesis that criticized women working outside the home.

"I'm a firefighter and paramedic. Simple as that. My gender shouldn't have anything to do with it," she said. "We cannot support a candidate for governor who votes against equal pay for women and calls working women selfish."

Bill Bartel, (757) 446-2398, bill.bartel@pilotonline.com