On Gun Safety, Determined Activists Are Keeping Up the Fight
Gun safety advocates are not backing down after bipartisan legislation to expand background checks failed in the Senate, and are promising a new push to gain the five votes necessary to pass legislation supported by overwhelming public majorities. Are the political winds shifting in favor of gun safety?
Sen. Joe Manchin (D-WV), the bill's sponsor, plans to reintroduce the legislation, which would close the background check loophole for firearms purchased at gun shows and online. And New Hampshire Senator Kelly Ayotte, who voted against the legislation, is a primary target for groups on both sides of the gun debate.
Ayotte now has a negative approval rating, according to recent polls, with 46% of voters disapproving and just 44% approving of her performance; that is a net 15 point shift from October, when she was last polled, when just 35% disapproved and 48% approved. Three-quarters of voters in Ayotte’s state of New Hampshire - including 95% of Democrats, 74% of independents, and 56% of Republicans - say they support background checks.
Americans for Responsible Solutions (ARS), a group founded by former US Representative Gabrielle Gifford and her husband, has purchased $375,000 of radio ads urging Ayotte and other Senators to change their minds, and praising Senators who supported the legislation. The ads airing in New Hampshire accuse Ayotte of “opposing the will of the people,” in favor of remaining loyal to the special interest gun lobby.
http://www.prwatch.org/news/2013/05/12113/gun-safety-determined-activists-are-keeping-fight