A fresh wave of youthful political leaders is gaining power across the United States by channeling their personal experience with gun violence to advocate for reforms they contend the public is demanding.
Their rise signifies a nearly decade-long shift. Gun violence prevention has moved from a political taboo seldom discussed on the stump to a core issue that candidates, predominantly from the Democratic party, are now campaigning on successfully.
Widespread Fatigue Drives the Change
This change is driven partly by a national weariness with firearms deaths, including large-scale attacks – such as recent incidents at a Rhode Island university and Bondi Beach – as well as gun-related suicides and community violence, which persist in devastating too many American lives.
“This is a problem that has impacted my life,” explained a Tennessee state representative. “Serving as a state representative and witnessing a lack of action, while remembering the effects in my neighborhood, that pushed me to say this is an issue we must address urgently.”
The day he was took office was also the deadliest shooting in the state’s history, when three children and three adults were shot and killed at a Covenant school.
Expulsion and a National Spotlight
Days later, 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 action, an act that propelled them to widespread recognition. They eventually reclaimed their seats.
Months later, Pearson’s brother was lost to a self-inflicted gunshot wound. This was not his first experience with violent loss; previously, his mentor and a old schoolmate were also fatally shot in Memphis.
Now, Pearson is running for a federal office by centering firearms safety at the core of his agenda. He highlights how it impacts the state’s young residents, for whom gunshot wounds are the leading cause of death.
A Movement Becomes a Pipeline
The rise of office-seekers focusing on gun violence is also a product of the growing advocacy network across the nation, which has evolved into a pipeline for political newcomers.
- Maxwell Frost, the nation’s first Gen Z US representative, began as a activist with March for Our Lives.
- Lucy McBath, a Congresswoman, and Abigail Spanberger, a soon-to-be governor, were both volunteers with a grassroots safety organization before running for office.
- Cameron Kasky, a survivor who was instrumental in student protests, has declared his own run for Congress.
“I see myself as a piece of a larger cause. It’s the reason I got into politics,” said the congressman. “I was 15 when Sandy Hook happened and that’s what pushed me to get involved.”
From Third Rail to Talking Point
Nowadays, challenging pro-gun groups like the NRA is common among Democrats. But less than 15 years ago, many centrist politicians held ‘A’ grades from the organization, and the topic of gun control was considered a political third rail.
“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 Sandy Hook Elementary tragedy and the subsequent failure in Congress to pass reforms as a turning point. This led once NRA-backed politicians to risk their favorable scores to call for limits on assault weapons. Now, having an F rating 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 seismic shift,” the activist added. “It dispelled a lot of misperceptions and fears about being proactive on this issue.”
From Grieving Parent to Candidate
The epidemic of gun violence has also activated newcomers to politics.
A Tennessee mother lost her son in a 2018 mass shooting in the city. Years later, another son was shot and injured leaving a music venue. After repeated trips of advocating at the capitol with little result, she decided to run for office.
“Coming up here for years and having them just ignoring me, made it clear that I needed to do more 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 individuals 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 compelled in this moment to be a part of the healing,” Pearson said of his fellow advocates. “The world is riddled with entrenched problems. We’ve given people decades to address them. And now, with our the people behind us, it’s our turn.”
He argues that addressing this crisis also requires action on bipartisan issues like mental health access and economic stability, which might find greater support even in conservative legislatures. This broader view shows that being focused on ending gun violence isn’t just about restrictions, but also about addressing the underlying conditions.
“We’re not single-issue candidates,” he emphasized. “We understand the connected nature of the problems. It’s not just shootings. It’s economic hardship, pollution, deprived communities – these are the places with the highest levels of violence. We need leaders who have experienced that pain.”
Ultimately, Pearson contends a lack of movement at the federal level on policies like extreme risk protection orders and waiting periods has real consequences.
“Because of that inaction, people are dying,” he stated firmly. “This crisis won’t be fixed by doing what we’ve done in the past.”
