Washington (CNN) The deadliest mass shooting in modern American history thrust the bitter debate about gun rights back to the center of Washington politics Monday -- and everyone reached for familiar scripts. But the carnage he unleashed is unlikely to sufficiently shake up well-worn gun politics to produce meaningful changes in the nation's gun laws, even though public support for more regulation typically spikes after mass shootings. Many Republicans sincerely believe their stance on the gun issue is fundamental to the character of America itself. In 2000, 38% of Republicans and 20% of Democrats said it was more important to protect gun rights than to control gun ownership, according to Pew Research. Democratic Sen. Dianne Feinstein , a longtime champion of stricter gun laws, was asked Monday whether anything will change this time.

Source: CNN October 03, 2017 00:00 UTC