Pennsylvania candidates offer little consensus on gun measures

PHILADELPHIA - The shooting in Texas is adding fuel to the fire raging over Pennsylvania’s gun laws, at time when campaigns for statewide office are being waged and children are being killed by guns.

Adam Garber, the head of the anti-gun violence group, CeaseFirePa, said, "The number one killer of children in Pennsylvania is already guns. We should pay attention to the daily violence."

Garber believes two reforms would save lives in the Commonwealth. He said red flag laws would remove guns from those who are in danger of hurting themselves or others, while gun owners should be forced to tell authorities when a firearm is lost or stolen.

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There is little agreement across political lines at a time when campaigns are being waged for governor and the United States Senate.

Republican candidates for Senate, Dave McCormick and Mehmet Oz both argue they are supporters of the rights of gun owners. McCormick has appeared in television ads shooting rifles and suggesting he’ll face the wrath of his mother if he fails to support the Second Amendment. His mother is referred to in the advertisements as Annie Oakley.

Oz, a heart surgeon, tweeted on Texas, "We need to ensure our kids are protected from these senseless acts of violence and feel safe in our schools."

Democratic candidate for Senate, Lt. Governor John Fetterman took to Twitter with his wife Giselle. They said, "This tragedy in Texas is another heartbreak and a stain on our country. We must act to prevent one more."

In a Tweet, Democratic candidate for governor, Josh Shapiro, wrote he’ll push for universal background checks and red flag laws for troubled gun owners.

In February, in an interview with Fox 29’s Jeff Cole, Shapiro said requiring gun owners to report a lost or stolen gun was "a reasonable approach."

Shapiro’s opponent, Republican State Senator Doug Mastriano has campaigned as a fierce opponent of gun regulations, and has tried to shield Pa. gun owners from what he’s called "unconstitutional federal gun restrictions."

CeaseFirePa argues common ground should be found for the sake of the state’s children. Garber said, "We’re not going to allow children to continue to be ransomed and their lives lost because of an absurd belief we can’t have reasonable controls on guns."