GUN CONTROL was a central tenet of Hillary Clinton’s unsuccessful campaign for president, but it would be wrong to interpret the results of the Nov. 8 elections as a slam dunk for those opposed to sensible gun laws. Three states approved ballot initiatives for strengthened gun-control measures despite stiff opposition from the national gun lobby. According to Everytown for Gun Safety and Moms Demand Action, the win in Nevada means that nearly half of Americans will now live in states that have closed the background-check loophole. Other bright spots: Sen. Patrick J. Toomey (Pa.) showed that Republicans who support gun control can still win reelection while Sen. Kelly Ayotte (N.H.) proved that Republicans who oppose gun safety can lose. So let’s hope that the mettle that gun- control advocates have shown in recent years in stopping NRA-backed bills in statehouses will prove successful in meeting the coming challenges.

Source: Washington Post November 21, 2016 00:26 UTC