After President Biden’s withdrawal from the 2024 presidential race, activists on both sides of the gun issue have begun to weigh in on Vice President Harris’ record. Some influential gun violence prevention groups have rallied behind Harris, while gun rights advocates have painted her as a radical. Harris, who oversees the White House Office of Gun Violence Prevention, has been a prominent voice for the Biden administration’s gun policy, The Trace reports. At her first campaign rally in Wisconsin on Tuesday, Harris signaled that reducing gun violence would be a theme of her bid, expressing support for policies long advocated by gun reform groups. “We, who believe that every person should have the freedom to live safe from the terror of gun violence, will finally pass red flag laws, universal background checks, and an assault weapons ban,” she said.
Gun violence prevention advocates, an important component of the Democratic coalition, view Harris as a strong ally who would continue pushing for reforms as Biden’s successor. Giffords, the organization founded by former Rep. Gabby Giffords, a shooting survivor, and the Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence — two of the oldest gun reform groups — were among the first to endorse her. Groups on the other side of the gun debate were quick to pan Harris’s candidacy. On X, the National Rifle Association posted a photo of Democratic politicians with Harris in the fore. “Now that President Biden has been shoved out of the race, make no mistake — whoever the elites choose will continue Biden’s radical gun control agenda,” the post said.
The Firearms Policy Coalition — an organization that’s even more strident than the NRA — has been blasting Harris with expletives on social media. The group called her an “authoritarian,” and said “her policy preferences are so insane they make Joe Biden’s look moderate.” Another prominent pro-gun group, Gun Owners of America, called her a “gun-grabber.” Harris has been a leading messenger on gun policy since the early days of the Biden administration. In March, she announced the launch of a national center to help increase the effectiveness of Extreme Risk Protection Order laws, more commonly known as red flag laws.
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