During a March 28, 2021, interview on NBC’s Meet the Press, Sen. Chris Murphy (D-CT) admitted that Democrats probably cannot round up 60 votes for the universal background check legislation contained in H.R. 8.
Host Chuck Todd pointed out that Sens. Joe Manchin (D-WV) and Jon Tester (D-MT) have both made clear they do not support H.R. 8.
Todd suggested that Manchin and Tester believe the bill is “too broad” as written.
He then asked Murphy if there is any chance of getting the 60 votes for the bill that Democrats need in order to secure passage.
Murphy responded, “I think it’s unlikely that H.R. 8, as it’s written today, can get 60 votes, but I don’t think it has to change very much in order to get the sufficient number of votes.”
Earlier in the interview, Murphy said, “Don’t count us out.” He added, “I’ve gotten a lot of calls from Republicans in the Senate who don’t want to fight this fight any longer because the NRA’s authority is fading; the anti-gun violence movement’s impact is increasing. I think we have a chance.”
On Sunday, Breitbart News reported that the NRA has witnessed a surge in membership that continued in January 2021 and continues even now.
The NRA’s Andrew Arulanandam noted that the civil rights organization is “gaining 1,000 new members a day” just from people signing up via the Internet.
AWR Hawkins is an award-winning Second Amendment columnist for Breitbart News and the writer/curator of Down Range with AWR Hawkins, a weekly newsletter focused on all things Second Amendment. He is the political analyst for Armed American Radio. Follow him on Twitter: @AWRHawkins. Reach him directly at [email protected]. Sign up to get Down Range at breitbart.com/downrange.
