In a rare show of defiance against the gun lobby, hundreds of Texas Republican donors have voiced their support for gun-control measures following the mass shooting at an elementary school in Uvalde, Texas, which killed 19 children and two adults.
In an open letter published in the Dallas Morning News, 250 Republicans called for an expansion of background checks, red flag laws and raising the age limit to purchase a gun to 21.
“Most law enforcement experts believe these measures would make a difference,” the letter said. “And recent polls of fellow conservatives suggest that there is strong support for such gun-safety measures.”
The group praised Sen. John Cornyn (R-Texas) for supporting bipartisan legislation on gun control in and out of the Texas legislature.
“We are grateful that our Senator John Cornyn is leading efforts to address the recent tragedies in Uvalde and elsewhere across our great Country. He’s the right man to lead this bipartisan effort, as he has demonstrated throughout his career.”
Though Cornyn has come out against strong gun restrictions, in an interview with Politico, he said that it would be “embarrassing” if Congress didn’t at least enact some modest measures on gun control after the shooting at Uvalde.
The letter was paid for by Todd McLain, a gun owner and conservative. McLain said that he was convinced to act after the tragedy at Uvalde.
In an interview with the Texas Tribune, McLain noted that he believes there is room for compromise.
“These events have really motivated me and really gotten under my skin and encouraged me to support the effort that’s underway,” McLain said. “I just felt like I needed to do something, and I also believe that there are reasonable things that can be done.”
