‘Now Is Our Moment’: Gun-Safety Activists Surf a ‘Seismic’ Wave into US Legislatures.

A new generation of youthful elected officials is ascending to office across the nation by channeling their firsthand encounters with firearms tragedies to advocate for reforms they contend the public is ready for.

Their rise signifies a nearly decade-long shift. Gun violence prevention has moved from a political taboo rarely spoken about on the stump to a core issue that candidates, predominantly from the Democratic party, are now running – and winning – on.

Widespread Fatigue Fuels the Shift

This evolution is fueled in part by a national weariness with firearms deaths, encompassing mass shootings – like recent incidents at Brown University and a Sydney 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,” explained Justin Pearson. “Serving as a state representative and witnessing a lack of action, while remembering the impact in my community, that compelled me to say this is an issue we must prioritize.”

Ironically, the day he was took office coincided with the most lethal attack in Tennessee history, when three children and three adults were murdered at a Covenant school.

From Protest to Prominence

Shortly after, he and two other state Democrats led a protest on the legislative chamber to demand stronger gun policy. Pearson and his colleague were expelled for their protest, an act that catapulted them to national prominence. They later were reinstated.

Months later, his sibling died of a firearm suicide. This was far from his only encounter with violent loss; previously, his guide and a old schoolmate were also fatally shot in his hometown.

Now, Pearson is running for a seat in the US Congress by centering gun violence at the heart of his agenda. He highlights how it affects the state’s youth, for whom firearms injuries are the leading cause of death.

A Movement Becomes a Pipeline

The rise of candidates focusing on this issue is also a product of the expanding prevention movement across the country, which has evolved into a recruitment channel for new candidates.

• Maxwell Frost, the nation’s first Generation Z US representative, began as a volunteer with March for Our Lives.
• Lucy McBath, a Georgia representative, and Abigail Spanberger, a Virginia governor-elect, were both involved with Moms Demand Action before running for office.
• Cameron Kasky, a survivor who helped to organize national marches, has recently announced his own run for a House seat.

“I see myself as a small part of a bigger movement. It’s the driving force I got into politics,” said Frost. “I was 15 when the Newtown tragedy happened and that’s what inspired me to get involved.”

A Seismic Shift in Politics

Today, calling out pro-gun groups like the NRA is common among Democrats. But less than 15 years ago, many moderate Democrats held high ratings from the organization, and the topic of gun control was considered a political third rail.

“It was gradual and not linear,” explained a prominent advocate. “We saw our supporters seeking election and thought it was logical that someone advocating for laws would want to become a lawmaker.”

Advocates cite the Sandy Hook Elementary tragedy and the subsequent failure in Congress to pass gun-safety policies as a turning point. This led formerly gun-friendly Democrats to risk their favorable scores to call for limits on high-capacity magazines. Now, having an F rating from the NRA is a badge of honor.

“After the Florida school shooting, no Democratic members of Congress had an A rating and were proud about it. That’s a seismic shift,” the activist added. “It dispelled a lot of myths and anxieties about being proactive on this issue.”

Personal Loss Fuels Political Action

The issue of firearms deaths has also mobilized first-time entrants to public service.

Shaundelle Brooks lost her son in a 2018 mass shooting in Nashville. Tragically, another son was wounded leaving a concert. After repeated trips of pleading at the statehouse with no response, she chose to become a candidate herself.

“Testifying 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.

“Knowing you’re personally impacted, they feel that you’re more credible to talk about this. They know it’s not a partisan game for us,” she added.

A New Generation’s Call

These personal experiences of loss connect advocates across the country, forming what those affected describe as a “club no one wants to join.”

“We don’t have a group chat, but we all feel compelled in this time to be a part of the solution,” Pearson said of his fellow advocates. “The world is riddled with seemingly unsolvable issues. We’ve given people decades to solve them. And now, with our the people behind us, it’s our turn.”

Pearson believes that tackling this crisis also requires focusing on bipartisan issues like mental health access and economic stability, which might find greater support even in conservative legislatures. This holistic approach shows that being committed to ending firearms tragedies isn’t just about gun laws, but also about improving the root causes.

“We’re not single-issue candidates,” he emphasized. “We understand the intersectionality of the problems. It’s not just gun violence. It’s poverty, environmental issues, deprived communities – these are the places with the most severe rates of violence. We need leaders who have proximity to that pain.”

In the end, the candidate says a lack of movement at the national level on measures like red flag laws and cooling-off periods has real consequences.

“Because of that inaction, people are dying,” he stated firmly. “This crisis isn’t going to be solved by repeating old strategies.”