Tim Kaine Keeps Guns Front and Center as We Head into the DNC

As you may know, Tim Kaine took the National Rifle Association to task yesterday in his first speech as Hillary Clinton’s vice-presidential nominee.

The approach of the Clinton-Kaine ticket on gun violence prevention is nothing less than a sea change on this issue. No longer are candidates running in fear of the NRA, they are actively bucking it. No longer is gun violence prevention the third rail of politics, it’s a marquee issue.

Indeed, 2016 will be the year of gun safety.

In Miami yesterday, Hillary Clinton said it well: “Tim has a backbone of steel. Just ask the NRA. Over and over again, he has had the courage to stand up to the gun lobby in their own backyard. He has fought for common sense gun reform.”

And Kaine doubled down: “This issue is very close to my heart, very close to my heart. Many of you here feel exactly the same way after that tragic shooting in Orlando in June. We can do better, folks. Hillary and I will not rest. We will not rest until we get universal background checks and close loopholes. … It’s so easy.”

“I’ve never lost an election,” Kaine said. “I’m not about to let that change.” Attacks and more than $700,000 in spending against him from the NRA? “That’s just like an extra cup of coffee to me, folks.”

There is no doubt that gun violence prevention will be in the spotlight this week at the DNC. Gun violence survivors will take to the stage and hundreds of gun safety advocates with Moms Demand Action for Gun Sense in America will flood Philly.

More here on Tim Kaine’s leadership on gun safety and more background on his record here. Starting tomorrow in Philadelphia and as as gun violence prevention takes center stage, Everytown for Gun Safety has policy experts, gun violence survivors and gun safety advocates at the ready to respond –please don’t hesitate to reach out.