Constituents, Local Editorial Boards Call on Republican Senators to Take Action to Stop Gun Violence
In the wake of horrific mass shootings in El Paso, Texas and Dayton, Ohio, Republican Senators are now starting August recess facing calls from constituents, local editorial boards, and Democratic challengers to take action on long-overdue gun violence prevention measures like expanding background checks. Yet as the pressure continues to mount, Majority Leader Mitch McConnell is standing in the way of reforms and vulnerable Republican Senators are refusing to act to keep their constituents safe.
“Despite mounting calls for action on gun safety proposals with broad support from their constituents, Senate Republicans are allowing Mitch McConnell to continue to block legislation that earned bipartisan support in the House this year instead of stepping up to do their jobs,” said DSCC spokesperson Stewart Boss. “If Mitch McConnell and his spineless majority refuse to take up these commonsense reforms to prevent gun violence in the Senate, voters will hold them accountable for their shameful failure to act after yet another tragedy.”
Here’s what they’re saying about Senate Republicans’ failure to act on their constituents’ calls for gun safety reform:
- Arizona – Arizona Daily Star (Editorial): “We call on Arizona [Sen.]… Martha McSally to counter McConnell’s cowardice and do everything possible to bring these bills forward for a vote. Doing nothing is not an option.”
- Colorado – Denver Post (Editorial): “Congress should start this week, as U.S. Sen. Michael Bennet aptly pointed out calling for Senate President Mitch McConnell to end summer recess and consider gun-control legislation. Sen. Cory Gardner should stand in support of reasonable gun restrictions.”
- Maine – Washington Post: “Maine House Speaker Sara Gideon, one of the five Democrats running for the nomination to face Collins in 2020, tweeted that the senator should ask Republican leaders to ‘bring the Senate back to Washington to take action’ on gun legislation.”
- North Carolina – WTVD: “Local advocates and others are still trying to process what happened during the weekend in El Paso, Texas, and Dayton, Ohio. One of those is Drew Pescaro, who is soon headed back to class at UNC Charlotte… On Monday he tweeted directly at U.S. Sen. Thom Tillis: ‘I was a victim of a mass shooting in April in your state and two have happened in the past day in other places in the country. Why wait any longer and let other communities and people get hurt?’”
- North Carolina – CBC (Editorial): “Sens. Richard Burr and Thom Tillis need to abandon their partisan orthodoxy and back the common sense House-passed bill to require background checks for nearly all gun purchases or exchanges. This is a small, but important step in the correct direction.”
- North Carolina – Fayetteville Observer (Editorial): “Among bills that have passed the U.S. House of Representatives by wide margins are ones that would require background checks on all purchases, and another that would institute a ‘red flag’ law that enables family members or law officers limit access to firearms of someone deemed a threat. Both bills have drawn some GOP support but are being blocked in the senate by Majority Leader Mitch McConnell of Kentucky. Where are North Carolina’s two senators, Richard Burr and Thom Tillis on these bills? Inquiring minds want to know.”
- Texas – Austin American-Statesman (Editorial): “We also can no longer tolerate the status quo that allows our elected representatives to merely offer prayers without mentioning guns and to hide behind soundbites about now not being the time to invoke politics. We must hold our officials, including… Sens. John Cornyn and Ted Cruz, accountable to the task of finding solutions in meaningful gun reform legislation. They and the American people cannot talk about mass shootings without addressing guns.”
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