RICHMOND -- The politically muscular National Rifle Association has endorsed Democrat Creigh Deeds for attorney general, providing the Bath County native with a boost in his efforts to win the support of gun owners and sportsmen.

Deeds, who announced the endorsement Thursday, is the first statewide Democratic candidate in eight years to receive the NRA's backing and the only one likely to get it in the 2005 campaign. The NRA is expected to endorse the Republican nominees for governor and lieutenant governor, based on superior ratings the GOP candidates have received from the organization.

Deeds hailed the NRA endorsement as validation for his lifelong support for the Second Amendment and sportsmen's causes. He said the NRA's backing "could make a difference" in his race with Republican Bob McDonnell, a state delegate from Virginia Beach who also has made a strong push for support from gun owners. Polls indicate the race is very close.

"It's significant because it reflects that, for the 14 years I've been in the legislature and the 47 years I've been on this earth, I've been consistent on these issues," said Deeds, a state senator and former House of Delegates member.

NRA spokeswoman Kelly Hobbs said the endorsement of Deeds was based on "a long history of service in Virginia in advancing the interests of sportsmen and gun owners." Hobbs said the NRA's 90,000 Virginia members will be notified of all political endorsements in the October edition of the organization's monthly magazine.

Deeds sponsored legislation that led to a state constitutional amendment that guaranteed hunting and fishing rights. McDonnell opposed the measure. Deeds also voted against a controversial law limiting handgun purchases to one per month. McDonnell voted for the law, but now says it should be repealed.

McDonnell's campaign noted that the Republican has received four consecutive "A-minus" ratings from the NRA and was endorsed by the organization in his 2003 House race.

A spokesman also pointed out that McDonnell has sponsored legislation to reduce restrictions on hunting and to streamline the criminal background check process for buying a gun.

"We think it [the endorsement] is a very small impact because, at the end of the day, Virginia voters will see that there is very little difference between the candidates on Second Amendment issues," said McDonnell spokesman John Phllippe.

Deeds announced the NRA endorsement one day after McDonnell received the backing of the Virginia State Lodge of Fraternal Order of Police. The FOP's president declared McDonnell the superior candidate on law-and-order issues that are a focus of the attorney general's office.

A McDonnell spokesman said the Republican has a solid record on Second Amendment issues and insisted the NRA endorsement of Deeds will not hurt McDonnell's standing with gun owners.

Deeds has sought the support of gun owners with a strategy very similar to one employed by Gov. Mark Warner, a fellow Democrat, in the 2001 campaign.

Like Warner, Deeds has formed a sportsmen's committee to promote his campaign in rural areas and has met personally with NRA officials to seek their support. Warner's efforts effectively neutralized the NRA, which gave a lukewarm blessing to Republican Mark Earley late in the 2001 race. Deeds topped Warner by getting the NRA's endorsement.

"This was and is very, very important to me," Deeds said.