Stephen King in tweet slams congressman as “NRA sweetheart”

AUGUSTA, Maine – Author Stephen King is calling a Maine congressman an “NRA sweetheart” for receiving thousands of dollars from the gun rights advocacy group.

King urges residents in a Tuesday tweet to not vote for Republican U.S. Rep. Bruce Poliquin in November, citing his support from the National Rifle Association. The Maine-born novelist has posted several tweets about gun policy since a Florida high school shooting last week that left 17 people dead.

Poliquin adviser Brent Littlefield says the incumbent congressman is a strong Second Amendment supporter who won’t respond directly to a “Hollywood person.”

The New York Times has identified Poliquin as a top congressional recipient of NRA funding. The newspaper last fall said the association reported spending more than $200,000 to help Poliquin’s political career, including $68,000 attacking his opponents.