Democrats are vowing to embrace gun control on the campaign trail this year, seizing on what they view as a shift in political winds while recognizing that Congress is unlikely to pass any new reforms before November.
The intensified focus on gun reform marks something of a shift for the Democrats, who shied away from the issue for years after suffering sweeping election losses in 1994 - a wave largely attributed to the assault weapons ban they'd championed earlier that year.
Nationwide marches for gun control last week and a host of recent polls showing overwhelming public support for tougher gun restrictions in the wake of the Parkland shooting have galvanized Democrats behind the idea that embracing gun reform is not only smart public-safety policy but something that will pay dividends at the polls.
His improbable win has given new force to the argument that supporting gun restrictions is not political suicide for Democratic candidates, even in areas that overwhelmingly backed President Trump in 2016."To win campaigns you need to have candidates who are their district. And so candidates should most certainly talk about the economic issues that we face," said Rep. Mike Thompson, the head of the Democrats' gun-violence prevention task force.
While the measures included bolstering the background check system before gun sales and empowering federal researchers to examine gun violence as a threat to public health, among other provisions, the changes placed no new restrictions on gun sales, merchandise or ownership.
While campaigning on gun control might not work in every district, strategists say that the issue is likely to be a big winner for Democrats in some of the marginal, suburban districts that could be key to helping Democrats take back the House in the fall.
"You've seen lots of voters who have become single-issue voters around gun safety, which is something that those who oppose gun safety measures have always been successful at doing," said Deutch.
http://thehill.com/homenews/campaign/380918-dems-turn-sights-to-gun-control-in-midterms
The intensified focus on gun reform marks something of a shift for the Democrats, who shied away from the issue for years after suffering sweeping election losses in 1994 - a wave largely attributed to the assault weapons ban they'd championed earlier that year.
Nationwide marches for gun control last week and a host of recent polls showing overwhelming public support for tougher gun restrictions in the wake of the Parkland shooting have galvanized Democrats behind the idea that embracing gun reform is not only smart public-safety policy but something that will pay dividends at the polls.
His improbable win has given new force to the argument that supporting gun restrictions is not political suicide for Democratic candidates, even in areas that overwhelmingly backed President Trump in 2016."To win campaigns you need to have candidates who are their district. And so candidates should most certainly talk about the economic issues that we face," said Rep. Mike Thompson, the head of the Democrats' gun-violence prevention task force.
While the measures included bolstering the background check system before gun sales and empowering federal researchers to examine gun violence as a threat to public health, among other provisions, the changes placed no new restrictions on gun sales, merchandise or ownership.
While campaigning on gun control might not work in every district, strategists say that the issue is likely to be a big winner for Democrats in some of the marginal, suburban districts that could be key to helping Democrats take back the House in the fall.
"You've seen lots of voters who have become single-issue voters around gun safety, which is something that those who oppose gun safety measures have always been successful at doing," said Deutch.
http://thehill.com/homenews/campaign/380918-dems-turn-sights-to-gun-control-in-midterms
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