A new generation of youthful elected officials is gaining power across the United States by channeling their personal experience with gun violence to advocate for reforms they believe the country is ready for.
Their ascent marks a multi-year shift. Gun violence prevention has moved from a third-rail issue rarely spoken about on the stump to a central platform that candidates, mostly from the Democratic party, are now campaigning on successfully.
Widespread Fatigue Fuels the Change
This change is driven partly by a collective exhaustion with gun violence, including mass shootings – like recent incidents at a Rhode Island university and Bondi Beach – as well as firearms suicides and street violence, which continue to tear apart countless American lives.
“It’s been an issue that has directly touched me,” said Justin Pearson. “There was something about a legislator and witnessing a lack of action, while remembering the impact in my community, that pushed me to say this is an issue we must address urgently.”
Ironically, the day he was took office coincided with the most lethal attack in the state’s history, when three children and three adults were murdered at a Nashville school.
Expulsion and a National Spotlight
Days later, he and several state Democrats led a protest on the legislative chamber to demand stricter firearms laws. The lawmakers were expelled for their action, an act that catapulted them to widespread recognition. They eventually were reinstated.
Subsequently, his sibling was lost to a self-inflicted gunshot wound. This was not his first encounter with tragic death; just years before, his mentor and a old schoolmate were also fatally shot in Memphis.
Now, Pearson is running for a federal office by centering gun violence at the heart of his agenda. He emphasizes how it affects the state’s youth, for whom gunshot wounds are the primary killer.
A Movement Becomes a Pipeline
The rise of candidates centering gun violence is also a product of the expanding prevention movement across the country, which has become a recruitment channel for political newcomers.
- Maxwell Frost, the nation’s first Generation Z US representative, started off as a volunteer with March for Our Lives.
- Lucy McBath, a Georgia representative, and Abigail Spanberger, a soon-to-be governor, were both volunteers with Moms Demand Action before running for office.
- Cameron Kasky, a survivor who was instrumental in national marches, has recently announced his own run for Congress.
“I see myself as a small part of a larger cause. It’s the driving force I got into politics,” noted Frost. “I was 15 when Sandy Hook happened and that’s what inspired me to get involved.”
From Third Rail to Talking Point
Nowadays, calling out pro-gun groups like the NRA is standard practice among Democratic candidates. But less than 15 years ago, many centrist politicians held ‘A’ grades from the NRA, and the topic of gun control was considered a political third rail.
“It was gradual and full of ups and downs,” said a prominent advocate. “We saw our supporters seeking election and thought it was common sense that someone advocating for laws would want to take the next step.”
Advocates cite the Sandy Hook Elementary tragedy and the lack of action in Washington to pass reforms as a turning point. This pushed once NRA-backed politicians to abandon their favorable scores to support restrictions on high-capacity magazines. Now, having an F rating from the NRA is a badge of honor.
“After the Florida school shooting, zero Democratic members of Congress had an A rating and were proud about it. That’s a dramatic change,” the advocate added. “It dispelled a lot of misperceptions and fears about being gun safety-forward.”
Personal Loss Fuels Political Action
The issue of firearms deaths has also activated newcomers to public service.
Shaundelle Brooks lost her son in a Waffle House attack in the city. Years later, another son was shot and injured leaving a music venue. After repeated trips of pleading at the statehouse with no response, she chose to become a candidate herself.
“Coming up here for seven years and having them just dismiss me, showed me that I needed to do something greater than what I was doing,” Brooks said.
“When people see you’re directly affected, they feel that you’re more authentic to talk about this. They know it’s not a political thing for us,” she stated.
‘It’s Our Turn’ to Lead
These shared stories of tragedy connect individuals across the nation, forming what victims and survivors describe as a “club no one wants to join.”
“We don’t have a formal network, but we all feel compelled in this moment to be a part of the solution,” the representative said of his fellow advocates. “The world is riddled with seemingly unsolvable issues. We’ve given people generations to address them. And now, with our the people behind us, the moment is ours.”
He argues that tackling gun violence also requires focusing on bipartisan issues like veteran suicides and economic stability, which might find greater support even in conservative legislatures. This holistic approach shows that being focused on ending gun violence isn’t solely concerning restrictions, but also about addressing the root causes.
“We’re not single-issue candidates,” he said. “We understand the intersectionality of the problems. It’s not just gun violence. It’s economic hardship, pollution, neglected neighborhoods – these are the places with the highest levels of violence. We need leaders who have proximity to that pain.”
Ultimately, Pearson contends inaction at the federal level on measures like extreme risk protection orders and waiting periods has deadly outcomes.
“Because of that inaction, people are dying,” he stated firmly. “This crisis isn’t going to be solved by repeating old strategies.”
