Republicans from moderate districts bucking their party on background checks

Wednesday’s House vote on legislation expanding background checks for gun sales is a top priority for a handful of Republicans from more moderate districts.But while they’re largely in line with public opinion on the issue — and with the chamber’s new Democratic majority — they’re at odds with other Republicans in Congress.And some former and current elected Republicans worry that more of the conference isn’t backing the legislation, given the drubbing the GOP just suffered in the suburbs last fall.Five Republicans and 227 Democrats have signed on as co-sponsors to legislation that California Democratic Rep. Mike Thompson[1] introduced last month. Despite the partisan imbalance, they’re calling it the Bipartisan Background Check Act of 2019.More Republicans could ultimately vote for final passage Wednesday. The legislation would require background checks for all gun sales between private individuals. Nearly 100 percent of Americans supported universal background checks in a recent Quinnipiac poll[2]. But not all Democrats are on board with Thompson’s legislation, either. A handful of members from rural districts are not co-sponsoring the measure. Good politics Former GOP Reps. Carlos Curbelo[3] of Florida and Ryan A. Costello[4] of Pennsylvania, both strategic advisers to Everytown for Gun Safety, came out in support of the legislation in a recent Washington Post op-ed[5], arguing that it’s good Republican politics. Curbelo lost and Costello retired in 2018, allowing both to address their onetime colleagues freely.But with Democrats picking up a net of 40 seats last fall, many Republicans in moderate districts who might have supported the legislation are no longer in Congress. Spending from gun control groups outpaced spending from gun rights groups during the midterms, according to OpenSecrets.org[6].  Everytown for Gun Safety Action Fund, for example, spent $30 million on races up and down the ballot last cycle. The gun safety organization is spending $400,000 on digital ads touting the background check legislation, and it’s planning

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