WASHINGTON — The National Rifle Association is warning senators it will consider their votes on Supreme Court nominee Sonia Sotomayor as part of its influential annual ratings of lawmakers.

The NRA said President Barack Obama's first high court nominee has a hostile view of the Second Amendment right to keep and bear arms. It announced last week it was opposing her nomination, although her confirmation in early August is virtually guaranteed.

Its promise today to score the upcoming vote amounts to a threat to Republicans and conservative Democrats whose constituents are strong gun rights advocates. It comes one day after the gun lobby suffered a major loss in the Senate with defeat of a concealed weapon measure.