Incoming Democrats Adopt Gun Control: NPR

The murderous mass that hit a bar in Thousand Oaks, California, last week, came less than a day after dozens of Democrats who had been campaigning promised to tighten the laws on firearms had been elected to the House of Representatives. Across the country, candidates from Virginia, Georgia, Texas, and the state of Washington have issued an urgent call for increased firearms safety, apparently encouraged to go ahead. attack at the NRA.

In total, 95 candidates sponsored by Giffords PAC won seats in the House. Giffords PAC is the armed violence prevention group founded by Gabrielle Giffords, former Arizona congressman, and her husband.

Everytown for Gun Safety, the gun control group founded by former mayor of New York City Michael Bloomberg, reported similarly impressive results: a 83% victory rate among its 66 endorsements in federal competitions.

Both groups insist that in competitions where they hired NRA-backed operators, they were more successful than the powerful gun lobby.

In an e-mailed statement, the NRA said that "gun control was not a decisive factor on polling day", challenged the notion of "blue wave", and highlighted the victories Decisive in the Senate in Tennessee, Indiana and Missouri, where NRA-backed candidates were defeated Democrat Holders.

Nevertheless, the NRA has not experienced this level of electoral repression for a long time. In the last election, gun groups routinely outnumbered gun control groups, according to data analyzed by the Center for Responsive Politics. But not this year. Firearms control groups spent about $ 2.4 million more than firearms advocacy groups during Congressional races in 2018.

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After the recent large-scale shootings, GOP leaders in Congress were criticized for presenting their thoughts and prayers, but for taking little legislative action. The next congress can be very different.

Last week, after the shooting in California, future president Nancy Pelosi told CNN that she wanted action on "common-sense background checks" to prevent firearms from going down. fall into the wrong hands. "

"It will be a priority for us at the next Congress," she added.

After last week's election, there is now a group of Democrats engaged in the new House that is likely to lobby for new restrictions on guns. Nevertheless, it is very unlikely that such bills will be passed by a Republican-controlled president or President Trump.

"The House will now be the seat of power for the Democrats at the federal level, so it will really advance the agenda of what the Democratic Party defends before the primaries in 2020," said Lanae Erickson, Vice President. social affairs. the politics and politics of the Third Way Center Left Think Tank.

Even if the firearms laws passed by Democrats can never be adopted, Democrats in the House can show voters what their party would do if they gained more power.

Democrats unite around gun control

But the democratic unity around gun reform is a somewhat new idea. In recent years, guns have become a litmus test for Democrats, much like abortion or same-sex marriage. During this cycle, the NRA has only supported three Democrats in the House. Just over a decade ago, many more Democrats asked for the group's approval.

"I remember that in 2006 and 2008, Democrats had recruited so-called NRA Democrats to replenish their majority in Congress and that this strategy was clearly inactive," said Peter Ambler, executive director of Giffords and former member of the staff of the House.

Political culture has changed, as has political calculation.

"Candidates were so scared in the past that they thought supporting gun safety was only a negative aspect of politics," Erickson told Third Way.

But by 2018, perhaps because of political activity around Parkland, Florida, shootings in schools, many candidates have been openly campaigning for the promise to strengthen gun laws .

"This problem was considered the third pillar of US policy, but not now," said John Feinblatt, president of Everytown for Gun Safety, a gun safety group founded by the former mayor of New York , Michael Bloomberg.

There is no doubt that some Democrats do not insist on their position on gun control, but the overall recalibration of the democratic firearms policy has not been limited to stereotypical cities. located on the coast.

Firearms advocacy groups announce victories in Georgia's 6th congressional district, a seat formerly occupied by conservative Newt Gingrich's icon. Lucy McBath, Democratic candidate and gun control attorney, took the win against Karen Handel, Republican and NRA-backed. In Texas' 7th congressional district, Democrat Lizzie Fletcher defeated outgoing President John Culberson, another Republican rated A by the NRA. In the Denver suburb of Colorado's 6th congressional district, Democrat Jason Crow overthrew outgoing Republican Mike Coffman, also supported by the NRA.

"The contrast between me and my opponent was very striking," Crow said. "He had all his life an A rating of the NRA."

Crow, who points out that he owns a firearm and that he grew up as a hunter, led a vocal campaign in favor of a weapon reform. He felt that voters in his constituency were tired of Congress inaction.

"Our community has been disproportionately affected by gun violence over the years, from shooting at the Aurora Theater in Columbine," Crow said. "And we will do something about it."

Crow specifically called for a universal background check and the repeal of the Dickey Amendment, a 1996 provision limiting federal funding for research into gun violence.

"It is high time that the [Centers for Disease Control] to have the funding they need to look at this as a public health crisis, "he said.

Crow is not the only new voice in Congress calling for this change. Democrat Kim Schrier, a doctor who won a traditionally Republican seat in Washington State, said she would also seek to repeal the Dickey amendment.

"It's different from being a pediatrician and not a career politician," said Schrier, who advertised during his campaign to talk about the risks of owning a firearm in the house around depressed boys. "My goal here is to ensure the safety of our children and our communities, and I do not think it's radical."

Schrier says that health care was undoubtedly the most consistent political concern expressed by voters during the election campaign, and this is consistent with most polls. But she has also heard a lot about gun safety, especially from women and mothers.

"Women played an important role in the election and I think the issue of gun safety is resonating there," Schrier said. "I know yes."

The firearms conversation felt incredibly "asymmetric", according to Third Way's Erickson, but last week's results suggest that this is changing.

"Even though it is not the number one or number two concern for most voters, there is now a very committed militant base at the Democratic Party's political table, calling for it to be the only one in the world. one of the priorities of its agenda, "she said. I said.

Erickson explained that part of this change is due to the changing coalition within the Democratic Party, as Democrats see their chances diminish in rural areas and potentially grow in the suburbs.

"Suburban women have always been supportive of gun safety and are now a more important part of the coalition," said Erickson. "And that really transforms gun politics for the Democratic Party."