Senator Cochran voted against “assault weapons” in 1991, this was apparently ignored by the NRA in his endorsement over State Senator Chris McDaniel who has 100% pro gun voting record as well as helping push and sponsoring pro gun legislation. Pro-gun should not be the only criteria for an endorsement anyway, many of these guys pro-gun votes are the only Conservative votes they cast and their other votes are leading us down a path to where their pro-gun votes won’t be needed anymore.
I doubt very much that the NRA was unaware of, or ignored, Cochran’s vote (23 years ago) but I’m sure they weighed that vote against his voting record before and after that vote.
McDaniel might be even better on guns but if the NRA switches candidates and McDaniel doesn’t win the primary run-off, all the NRA will have accomplished is pissing off Cochran, who will still be in office, don’t forget. What’s the good of that? McDaniel will get the NRA endorsement if he wins the run-off and is likely to be grateful for that, not resentful.
You’re right about “their other votes leading us down a path to where their pro-gun votes won’t be needed anymore”, but most of those guys are Democrats from rural areas that the NRA has kept on the reservation by endorsing them so long as they continue to support their hunter/gunowner constituents, and so long as it’s unlikely that a GOP challenger will unseat them.