Congressional Candidate Claims He’s Used Guns His ‘Whole Life,’ But Doesn’t Know Basics About Shotgun Sport

A congressional candidate in Maine undermined his own claim about firearms knowledge in a video he posted online Thursday.

Former Democratic Secretary of State Matt Dunlap claimed in the video posted on X Thursday that he could beat former Republican Gov. Paul LePage in the race for the House of Representatives seat currently held by retiring Democratic Maine Rep. Jared Golden. Dunlap took a shot at the former two-term Maine governor in the post, claiming LePage was a Floridian.

Dunlap did not respond to a request for comment from the Daily Caller News Foundation.

The National Republican Congressional Committee posted video of LePage accusing Dunlap, a former leader of the Sportsmen’s Alliance of Maine, of receiving donations from anti-Second Amendment groups seeking to ban guns. Federal Election Commission records show no donations to Dunlap’s campaign from political action committees associated with Everytown for Gun Safety, March for our Lives, Giffords and Brady United.

A regulation round of skeet consists of 25 targets. Shooters compete in squads (typically up to 5) and rotate through 8 stations, according to the National Skeet Shooting Foundation. The high house (left side) throws targets from about ten-feet high; the low house (right side) throws from about 3.5 feet high. Seventeen of the clay pigeons are fired as singles, but there are also four rounds of “doubles” where two clay pigeons are fired and according to the rules, a shotgun must be capable of firing two shots (for the “doubles” rounds).

NRA-ILA Executive Director John Commerford was among those to note that Dunlap’s preferred shotgun was a single shot.

“Considering a round of skeet involves four sets of pairs, I’m not sure a single shot break action shotgun is the best option,” Commerford posted.