Sen. Ted Cruz warned Republicans not to pursue expanded background checks Thursday at an event sponsored by the Christian Science Monitor, saying that it could jeopardize their chances in 2020.
“If Republicans abandon the Second Amendment and demoralize millions of Americans who care deeply about Second Amendment rights, that could go a long way to electing a President Elizabeth Warren,” replied Cruz when asked about whether he thought President Trump would back a modified version of the 2013 background check proposal from Sens. Joe Manchin and Pat Toomey.
Cruz asked about potential political fallout for President Trump if the party embraces background-check measures: "If Republicans abandon the 2nd Amendment,” he says, “That could go a long way to electing a President Elizabeth Warren.”
— Christal Hayes (@Journo_Christal) September 12, 2019
Cruz cautioned that Democratic turnout in 2020 will be “record-shattering” and Republicans shouldn’t do anything that would keep GOP voters home.
On a policy level, he said expanding background check requirements would also be a mistake.
“The Democrats’ proposal would not have prevented any of these mass murders. We ought to be focusing seriously, substantively on how you stop these horrific crimes and what they’re proposing wouldn’t do it,” he explained.
Sen. @tedcruz at Christian Science Monitor breakfast this morning on gun-control.
— Christal Hayes (@Journo_Christal) September 12, 2019
"The Democrats' proposal is not about gun violence," he says, explaining that background-check legislation wouldn't have stopped any of the mass shootings. "It is a political objective.”