Advocates say gun violence still a big issue despite flurry of election topics

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From nan June 28 statement betwixt President Joe Biden and erstwhile President Donald Trump to nan Oct. 1 vice statesmanlike statement of Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz and Ohio Sen. JD Vance, astatine slightest 134 group were killed successful 148 wide shootings crossed nan United States, according to nan Gun Violence Archive.

But during those astir 3 months and since, nan rumor of weapon unit prevention, according to immoderate advocates, has been overshadowed by a flurry of hot-button campaign topics: The authorities of nan economy, abortion rights, wars raging successful nan Middle East and Ukraine, 2 assassination attempts connected Trump and nan shifting governmental scenery successful which Vice President Kamala Harris succeeded Biden arsenic nan Democratic nominee.

"Gun unit is still 1 of nan astir important issues facing our country. We still person an ongoing epidemic," said Nicole Hockley, nan CEO of Sandy Hook Promise -- a weapon unit prevention group she co-founded pursuing nan 2012 wide shooting astatine Sandy Hook Elementary School successful Newtown, Connecticut, that near 20 children, including her son, and six big unit members dead.

In an question and reply this week pinch ABC News, Hockley cited a Johns Hopkins Center for Gun Violence Solutions report that said for 3 consecutive years weapon unit has been nan starring origin of decease successful nan United States for adolescents nether nan property of 19.

In an ABC News/Washington Post/Ipsos poll released successful August, weapon unit was classed eighth successful value among voters aft nan economy, inflation, wellness care, protecting democracy, crime and safety, migration and nan Supreme Court.

According to a 2023 Pew Research Center survey, 61% of Americans opportunity it's excessively easy to legally get a weapon successful this state and 58% judge U.S. gun-control laws should beryllium stricter.

"I do admit that location are galore different ample issues and basking topics for illustration nan economy, for illustration abortion, for illustration overseas wars that are of liking to voters arsenic well," said Hockley, whose nonpartisan group does not endorse candidates nor donate to campaigns.

She added, "Perhaps location is an assumption, rightly aliases wrongly, that everyone already knows what each candidate's sentiment is and what they are apt to do successful position of weapon unit prevention, whereas they mightiness not beryllium arsenic clear connected things for illustration policies astir nan economy."

Debates complete weapon violence

During nan 3 nationalist debates successful nan statesmanlike campaign, nan taxable of weapon unit prevention appears to person received little chat compared to nan different contentious topics, immoderate advocates said.

In nan Sept. 10 statement betwixt Harris and Trump, hosted by ABC News, weapon unit came up erstwhile Trump -- who was changeable successful nan receptor during a July 13 assassination effort successful Butler, Pennsylvania, that near 1 run rallygoer dormant and 2 others wounded -- alleged, "She wants to confiscate your guns."

The accusation prompted Harris, who oversees nan first-ever White House Office of Gun Violence Prevention, to respond, "Tim Walz and I are some weapon owners. We're not taking anybody's guns away. So extremity pinch nan continuous lying astir this stuff."

Harris, nan erstwhile California Attorney General, besides said, "I'm nan only personification connected this shape who has prosecuted transnational criminal organizations for nan trafficking of guns, narcotics and quality beings."

Ten days aft debating Trump, Harris reiterated that she is simply a weapon proprietor during a televised sit-down question and reply pinch Oprah Winfrey, adding, "If personification breaks successful my house, they're getting shot."

The astir extended speech connected guns during nan debates came during nan vice statesmanlike statement erstwhile Walz touted his grounds successful Minnesota connected combating weapon violence, saying his management had passed an battle weapons prohibition and enhanced red-flag weapon laws to support weapons retired of nan hands of group poised to harm themselves aliases others.

"These are reasonable things that we tin do to make a difference," Walz said astir weapon unit prevention during nan debate.

Vance and Trump reason astir gun-control laws, including an battle weapons prohibition and nationalist red-flag laws projected by Harris. The National Rifle Association has endorsed nan Trump-Vance ticket.

"Now, much than ever, state and liberty request courageous and virtuous defenders," Doug Hamlin, executive vice president and CEO of nan NRA, said successful a connection successful July. "President Trump and Senator Vance person nan courage and nan grit to guidelines patient for nan Second Amendment."

During nan debate, Vance said connected weapon unit prevention measures, "Governor Walz and I really astir apt work together that we request to do amended connected this."

Addressing schoolhouse shootings, Vance said astatine nan debate, "I, unfortunately, deliberation that we person to summation information successful our schools. We person to make nan doors fastener better. We person to make nan doors stronger. We've sewage to make nan windows stronger. And of course, we've sewage to summation schoolhouse assets officers because nan thought that we tin magically activity a wand and return guns retired of nan hands of bad guys, it conscionable doesn't fresh pinch caller experience."

'The lockdown generation'

Angela Ferrell-Zabala, executive head of Moms Demand Action, a grassroots activity of Americans fighting for nationalist information measures, said that contempt nan myriad issues successful this run cycle, weapon unit prevention still resonates pinch voters nationwide.

"First and foremost, I get to recreation each crossed this state and meet pinch our volunteers and partners and candidates moving up and down nan ballot, and location are truthful galore group that are not moving distant from this rumor but moving connected it and really winning," Ferrell-Zabala told ABC News. "This is simply a privilege for galore folks."

She said that from her experience, young people, who person grown up successful nan era of schoolhouse lockdowns and progressive shooter drills, are peculiarly energized complete nan rumor of weapon unit prevention and scheme to ballot their conscience.

"This is simply a large issue. This is simply a apical 3 for each voters and for young people, this is peculiarly hitting them because they are nan lockdown generation. Many of them are survivors of weapon unit themselves," said Ferrell-Zabala, whose group has endorsed nan Harris-Walz ticket.

According to nan 2023 Pew Research Center survey, 88% of respondents besides favored preventing mentally sick group from buying guns and 79% wanted nan minimum property for buying guns raised to 21.

Ferrell-Zabala said astir aspects of weapon unit prevention should not beryllium considered political, including requiring weapon owners to unafraid their weapons to forestall them from falling into nan hands of children aliases group intent connected harming others aliases themselves.

"They are being utilized arsenic governmental issues, but they are not. The mostly of people, polls show clip and clip again, are for communal consciousness weapon laws because they cognize they are going to prevention lives successful this country," Ferrell-Zabala said. "And what you're seeing is simply a merchandise of a weapon manufacture and extremist politicians that are trying to backmost this guns-everywhere culture, wherever guns are everyplace for anyone anytime. That's unacceptable, frankly."

Hockley said that galore of nan children who survived nan Sandy Hook massacre that claimed nan life of her 6-year-old son, Dylan, person now reached nan property of 18 and will beryllium voting successful their first statesmanlike election.

"I judge that they will beryllium very overmuch voting to extremity this epidemic," Hockley told ABC News. "I'm judge they'll person different concerns arsenic well, women's rights, quality rights. Gun unit prevention is besides a quality right, nan correct to unrecorded to your afloat potential. These students person seen nan worst of what our state tin connection successful position of schoolhouse unit and I very overmuch judge and dream that they will beryllium voting that arsenic 1 of their main issues."

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