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

A new generation of youthful elected officials is gaining power across the nation by channeling their personal experience with gun violence to push for policy changes they believe the public is demanding.

Their ascent signifies a nearly decade-long transformation. Gun violence prevention has moved from a political taboo seldom discussed on the stump to a core issue that politicians, predominantly Democrats, are now running – and winning – on.

Widespread Fatigue Drives the Shift

This change is fueled in part by a national weariness with gun violence, including large-scale attacks – such as recent incidents at a Rhode Island university and Bondi Beach – as well as firearms suicides and community violence, which persist in devastating too many families and communities.

“This is a problem that has directly touched me,” explained Justin Pearson. “Serving as a legislator and seeing a lack of action, while recalling the effects in my community, that compelled me to say this is an issue we must prioritize.”

The day he was sworn in was also the most lethal attack in the state’s history, when six individuals were shot and killed at a Covenant private school.

Expulsion and a National Spotlight

Shortly after, he and several fellow legislators led a protest on the house floor to call for stronger gun policy. The lawmakers were removed from office for their protest, an act that catapulted them to widespread recognition. They later reclaimed their seats.

Subsequently, his sibling died of a firearm suicide. This was not his first encounter with tragic death; previously, his mentor and a old schoolmate were also shot and killed in his hometown.

Now, Pearson is running for a seat in the US Congress by placing firearms safety at the core of his agenda. He emphasizes how it affects the state’s young residents, for whom gunshot wounds are the primary killer.

A Movement Becomes a Pipeline

The emergence of candidates focusing on gun violence is also a result of the expanding advocacy network across the country, which has become a pipeline for political newcomers.

• Maxwell Frost, the nation’s first Generation Z congressmember, began 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 a grassroots safety organization before entering politics.
• Cameron Kasky, a survivor who helped to organize national marches, has recently announced his own campaign for a House seat.

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

A Seismic Shift in Politics

Today, challenging pro-gun groups like the National Rifle Association is common among Democratic candidates. But less than 15 years ago, many centrist politicians held high ratings from the NRA, and the subject of regulating guns was considered a career-ending issue.

“It was gradual and full of ups and downs,” said a violence-prevention activist. “We saw our supporters seeking election and thought it was common sense that someone shaping legislation would want to become a lawmaker.”

Many point to the 2012 mass shooting and the subsequent failure in Washington to pass reforms as a turning point. This pushed once NRA-backed politicians to risk their high ratings to call for restrictions on high-capacity magazines. Now, receiving a poor grade from the group is a point of pride.

“After Parkland, no Democratic members of Congress had an A rating and were boasting of it. That’s a dramatic change,” the advocate continued. “It shattered a lot of misperceptions and fears about being proactive on this issue.”

From Grieving Parent to Candidate

The issue of gun violence has also mobilized first-time entrants to politics.

Shaundelle Brooks lost her son in a 2018 mass shooting in the city. Years later, another son was shot and injured leaving a music venue. After years of advocating at the capitol with no response, she chose to run for office.

“Testifying for years and having them just ignoring me, made it clear that I needed to do more than what I was doing,” Brooks said.

“When people see you’re personally impacted, they feel that you’re more credible to talk about this. They know it’s not a political thing for us,” she added.

A New Generation’s Call

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

“We don’t have a formal network, but we all feel called in this moment to be a part of the solution,” Pearson said of his colleagues. “The world is full of entrenched problems. We’ve given people generations to address them. And now, with our constituents’ support, it’s our turn.”

He argues that tackling gun violence also requires action on common-ground problems like veteran suicides and housing security, which might find greater support even in conservative legislatures. This holistic approach shows that being committed to ending gun violence isn’t just about gun laws, but also about addressing the root causes.

“We’re not single-issue candidates,” he said. “We understand the connected nature of the problems. It’s not just gun violence. It’s economic hardship, environmental issues, neglected neighborhoods – these are the places with the most severe rates of violence. We need leaders who have experienced that reality.”

In the end, Pearson contends a lack of movement at the federal level on measures like red flag laws and waiting periods has real consequences.

“Because of that inaction, people are dying,” he stated firmly. “This problem won’t be fixed by doing what we’ve done in the past.”