Charlton Heston Wins Nra Board Election

Swarmed by autograph seekers and admirers, actor Charlton Heston easily won a National Rifle Association board election Saturday, a key test for the gun lobby’s embattled leadership.

Heston, 72, worked the aisles like a veteran politician as voting began at a tumultuous membership meeting on the second day of the NRA’s annual convention. Dozens sought his signature, questioned him about his movie roles, showed off their babies and posed for pictures beside him.

Heston received 1,038 out of 1,410 ballots cast - about 74 percent of the vote - to beat out 157 other candidates for a lone seat on the 76-member board. The other 75 board members were chosen earlier in voting by mail.

Close by was the NRA’s top administrator, executive vice president Wayne R. LaPierre Jr., who nearly lost his job at a board meeting in February and whom Heston is trying to keep in office.

Heston was endorsed by former Reagan administration White House aide Oliver L. North, who wrote a letter distributed Saturday which also supported LaPierre.

The convention, which draws an estimated 20,000 or more hunters, gun collectors, firearms dealers and weapons manufacturers, concludes today. Officers are elected in a two-day board meeting that begins Monday.