Here’s what the 2020 presidential candidates are saying about two mass shootings in 24 hours
Gun control laws remain a top priority for many candidates.
Nearly 30 people died in 24 hours after two mass shootings in El Paso, Texas and Dayton, Ohio, prompting comments from all 25 of the 2020 presidential candidates. Gun control laws remain a top policy issue in the presidential primary, and many candidates offered condolences and calls to action.
“Today’s shooting in El Paso, Texas, was not only tragic, it was an act of cowardice,” President Donald Trump said in a tweet. “I know that I stand with everyone in this Country to condemn today’s hateful act. There are no reasons or excuses that will ever justify killing innocent people.”
Democratic candidate Beto O’Rourke is from El Paso and returned to his hometown Saturday evening. When asked by MSNBC if Saturday’s shootings fell at the feet of President Donald Trump, O’Rourke said the president bears some responsibility. “He is a racist and he stokes racism in this country,” the Texas Representative said. “It doesn’t just offend our sensibilities, it fundamentally changes the character of this country and leads to violence.”
In a tweet, Sen. Elizabeth Warren said she was “disgusted by the GOP leadership in Washington. Americans shouldn’t have to live in fear that if they go to Walmart, or a festival, or school, or just walk down the street that they won’t make it home alive. This has to stop.”
Here’s what all 2020 presidential candidates had to say:
My heart breaks for the people of El Paso.
Enough is enough.
We must find a way to come together as a country to end this epidemic.
— Michael Bennet (@MichaelBennet) August 3, 2019
Heartbroken to hear the news from El Paso. Our thoughts are with those impacted by yet another senseless act of gun violence in America.
How many lives must be cut short? How many communities must be torn apart? It’s past time we take action and end our gun violence epidemic.
— Joe Biden (@JoeBiden) August 3, 2019
Enough. We need to end this national nightmare. Praying for everyone affected by this unspeakable tragedy, and for our country to find the moral courage to take action to end this carnage. https://t.co/vqTMSlbR8j
— Cory Booker (@CoryBooker) August 3, 2019
I’m devastated for El Paso and the families whose lives were forever changed today.
But it’s not enough for our hearts to go out to them — our laws fail them and their families. No more. We need action, and we need it now.
— Steve Bullock (@GovernorBullock) August 3, 2019
Our country is under attack from white nationalist terrorism, inspiring murder on our soil and abetted by weak gun laws. If we are serious about national security, we must summon the courage to name and defeat this evil.
— Pete Buttigieg (@PeteButtigieg) August 3, 2019
My heart is with the people of El Paso today as they cope with a devastating mass shooting—the scope of which we are still learning.
This attack is a tragic reminder of our government’s failure to do its most basic duty: to protect American lives. We need gun reform now. https://t.co/z0JTng4kVa
— Julián Castro (@JulianCastro) August 3, 2019
20 dead.
26 wounded.
Countless tragedies all because the gun lobby has certain “leaders” more scared of losing support than losing loved ones.Enough empty words. These families deserve action. https://t.co/pweqImBDMu
— Bill de Blasio (@BilldeBlasio) August 4, 2019
Today’s tragedy in El Paso is heartbreaking for every American. Our prayers go out to the residents of El Paso and all those who have been affected by this horrific act of cowardice. As we all recognize, our thoughts and prayers are insufficient, we must demand action. (1/2)
— John Delaney 🇺🇸 (@JohnDelaney) August 3, 2019
Sending all of our love and strength to the people of El Paso during this terrible tragedy. Thank you to the brave first responders, putting their lives on the line to prevent more from being killed. We can and must come together to prevent these senseless shootings.
— Tulsi Gabbard 🌺 (@TulsiGabbard) August 3, 2019
Again, and again, and again, and again, and again…and nothing in response. This is domestic terrorism going unchecked and it’s complete madness. My heart is with El Paso and all the victims and their families.
— Kirsten Gillibrand (@SenGillibrand) August 3, 2019
We shouldn’t have to live in fear of mass shootings. Congress must have the courage to pass reasonable gun safety laws. If they won’t act, I will. pic.twitter.com/DbkXygBCnA
— Kamala Harris (@KamalaHarris) August 4, 2019
This has to stop. pic.twitter.com/gaRsGs2b8P
— John Hickenlooper (@Hickenlooper) August 3, 2019
Truly heartbreaking news out of El Paso today. We must come together and summon the courage to say: no more. We cannot allow this to remain our new normal. Support @MomsDemand as they work to combat the scourge of gun violence in our country. https://t.co/IeRvdcoBui
— Jay Inslee (@JayInslee) August 3, 2019
Today innocent people—families—went to that mall in El Paso. Some of them never came home. The U.S. House has passed common sense gun safety legislation. It is long past time to pass it in the Senate. The question to ask: Whose side are you on? The NRA’s or the people’s.
— Amy Klobuchar (@amyklobuchar) August 3, 2019
This is the 3rd mass shooting this week in America. Will it take a daily mass shooting for America to act to reverse this disturbing trend? Inaction is complicity.
— Wayne Messam (@WayneMessam) August 3, 2019
Absolutely heartbroken to hear the news out of El Paso.
We cannot allow this to keep happening in America. Citizens don’t need guns to protect them from government—they need the government to step up and protect them from guns.
— Seth Moulton (@sethmoulton) August 3, 2019
El Paso is one of the strongest places in the world—and if there were ever a moment to be strong, it’s this one. Strong for one another, for the families who have lost somebody, and for the first responders. Please go to https://t.co/ecw9y18OSP to support our community. pic.twitter.com/FFgLPbXNIY
— Beto O’Rourke (@BetoORourke) August 3, 2019
Absolutely devastated. My heart breaks for the El Paso community.
We cannot allow this to be the norm. We need action to #EndGunViolence.
— Archive: Congressman Tim Ryan (@RepTimRyan) August 3, 2019
Another mass shooting, another horrific day for America.
Multiple news organizations have reported the gunman shared a racist, anti-immigrant manifesto. If true, let us be clear: this would be yet another white nationalist domestic terror attack. 1/
— Bernie Sanders (@BernieSanders) August 4, 2019
A tragedy in El Paso. Not just “another one” – for each is separately searing to loved ones. We must stop the violence. We must. American families are hurting. We all are hurting. This. Must. Stop.
— Joe Sestak (@JoeSestak) August 3, 2019
We must break the @NRA and gun manufacturers’ stranglehold on our lawmakers. There’s no reason it has to be this way. https://t.co/KwPCHjO27s
— Tom Steyer (@TomSteyer) August 4, 2019
Gun violence happens at schools, at places of worship, at work, at malls, at movie theaters, at festivals, and at home.
Gun violence can claim dozens of lives at once—and its daily toll claims dozens.
We have a gun violence epidemic in this country. We need to act—now.
— Elizabeth Warren (@ewarren) August 4, 2019
At a certain point it isn’t about what happened; it’s about who we choose to be regarding what happened. Each of us must rise to the occasion now, committing to the electoral defeat of any politician who supports the NRA. Gun safety legislation must be the cry of our generation.
— Marianne Williamson (@marwilliamson) August 3, 2019
Oh no. My heart goes out to the families and individuals impacted by the El Paso shooting. We owe them and all Americans common sense gun safety laws. Other societies respond to senseless tragedies – we must do the same. We are better than this.
— Andrew Yang🧢⬆️🇺🇸 (@AndrewYang) August 3, 2019
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