State Sen. Tom McClintock (R) has been endorsed by the National Rifle Association in his bid to succeed Rep. John Doolittle (R) in the 4th district.

To become the Republican nominee, McClintock is going to have to dispatch former Rep. Doug Ose, whom he faces in the June 3 GOP primary. The two candidates hail from outside the 4th district, which is solidly conservative territory.

“As a member of the California State Legislature for almost two decades, you have been a champion for our Second Amendment rights and hunting heritage,” NRA Chairman Chris Cox said in an endorsement letter to McClintock that was released by his campaign.

McClintock has also been backed by the Gun Owners of America.

In a related development, McClintock was hit Monday by a complaint filed with the Federal Election Commission, accusing the candidate of illegally soliciting campaign donations from California Indian tribes that exceed the contribution limits under federal election law. The FEC complaint was filed by several local elected officials in the 4th district — some of whom appear to be aligned with Ose.

The winner of the GOP slugfest will face retired police administrator and Air Force veteran Charlie Brown, the 2006 Democratic nominee, who is a lock to win his primary.

Brown on Monday began airing his first TV ad of the 2008 cycle, a biographical spot that touts his family’s military service and pledges to provide adequate care for wounded soldiers.

“Find out about a man who knows patriotism is more important than partisanship,” the narrator concludes.

— David M. Drucker