PBS News Hour: on Gun Control
James Webb:
Access to guns is a critical self-defense right
An advocate for less restrictive access to guns, Webb sees the issue as a critical self-defense right. The former senator himself has held a permit to carry a weapon in Virginia and defended his ownership when an aide brought one of his loaded pistols to
Capitol Hill, violating Washington, D.C., law at the time. Webb has voted to allow firearms in checked baggage on Amtrak trains and co-sponsored a bill to repeal some of D.C.'s restrictions and requirements on gun ownership.
Source: PBS News Hour "2016 Candidate Stands" series
Jul 2, 2015
Chris Christie:
Include mental health records in gun background checks
Christie wants mental health records included in background checks at the time of gun purchases. The governor vetoed a ban on a powerful model of assault weapon after originally advocating for the ban in the aftermath of mass shootings in Newtown, Connec
Source: PBS News Hour "2016 Candidate Stands" series
Jun 30, 2015
Bobby Jindal:
Prevent publishing concealed handgun permit information
A frequent speaker at National Rifle Association conferences, Jindal has compared the rights of gun ownership to religious liberty and has said the struggle to preserve and expand gun access is a pivotal fight that could last another generation.
As governor, he has signed several gun bills into law, including a measure that prevents anyone from publishing concealed handgun permit information.
Source: PBS News Hour "2016 Candidate Stands" series
Jun 24, 2015
Donald Trump:
A very strong person on the Second Amendment
What does Donald Trump believe? Gun Control: Limit restrictions on guns. Ban some assault weapons & extend the waiting period for purchase.During a 2013 interview, the real estate mogul defined himself as, "a very strong person on the 2nd Amendment."
He believes guns are necessary for self-defense and has written that he generally opposes gun control. In his 2000 book, "The America We Deserve" Trump wrote that he supports a ban on assault weapons and a slightly longer waiting period to buy a gun.
Source: PBS News Hour "2016 Candidate Stands" series
Jun 16, 2015
Lindsey Graham:
Opposed expanding background checks, except for mentally ill
Graham would allow access to assault weapons and larger magazine clips, but limit access for the mentally ill. Graham is an advocate for gun access and has opposed several gun control proposals in the Senate, including a ban on assault weapons, a
limit on how many rounds can go in a magazine and an expansion of background checks. In 2013--in the wake of the Sandy Hook shootings--he sponsored a bill that would have limited the ability of people with a history of mental illness to purchase guns.
Source: PBS News Hour "2016 Candidate Stands" series
Jun 1, 2015
Martin O`Malley:
Ban assault weapons, limit clip size, & require fingerprints
O'Malley would increase gun control; ban dozens of assault weapons; limit the size of gun magazines; an require fingerprints to buy a handgun.The Democrat is a critic of the National Rifle Association and proponent of gun control measures.
As governor of the Old Line State, he pushed for and signed sweeping gun control legislation, banning 45 types of assault weapons, limiting magazine clips to ten bullets and requiring anyone purchasing a handgun to enter a fingerprint database.
Source: PBS News Hour "2016 Candidate Stands" series
May 30, 2015
George Pataki:
Ban assault weapons & require trigger locks
On guns, Pataki says states should ban some assault weapons, enact ballistics fingerprinting and place other limits on gun use.As New York governor,
Pataki signed a gun law which banned some assault weapons, required a record of each gun's ballistics, required trigger locks on new guns and raised the legal age of gun purchase from 18 to 21.
Source: PBS News Hour "2016 Candidate Stands" series
May 28, 2015
Mike Huckabee:
Expand concealed carry laws; they have saved lives
On guns, Huckabee says he would allow concealed carry, and protect citizens who use deadly force.A gun owner, Huckabee supports expansions of concealed carry laws and has written in the past that he believes they have saved lives.
In 2006, Huckabee told a radio show that he supports the "Castle Doctrine" which states that people have the right to stand their ground and use deadly force when under threat.
Source: PBS News Hour "2016 Candidate Stands" series
May 5, 2015
Carly Fiorina:
Strong supporter of Second Amendment gun rights
Fiorina has said that she is a strong supporter of second-amendment gun rights and that she opposed the 1994 bill which banned a large group of semi-automatic or assault weapons. In the 2010 U.S. Senate race, Fiorina said the
No-Fly list is broad and some people on it should be allowed to own a gun. Politifact reviewed her statements on the issue and noted that at the time she did not have a firm stance on other potential proposed limits on gun access.
Source: PBS News Hour "2016 Candidate Stands" series
May 4, 2015
Bernie Sanders:
Mixed approach to gun control vs. gun rights
On Guns: A mixed approach. No federal handgun waiting period. Some protection for gun manufacturers. Ban assault weapons.Sanders voted against the pro-gun-control Brady Bill, writing that he believes states, not the federal government, can handle
waiting periods for handguns. In 1994, he voted yes on an assault weapons ban. He has voted to ban some lawsuits against gun manufacturers and for the Manchin-Toomey legislation expanding federal background checks.
Source: PBS News Hour "2016 Candidate Stands" series
Apr 30, 2015
Page last updated: Dec 07, 2018