Colorado lawmaker wins recall fight against gun rights groups after backing "red flag" laws
So-called "red flag" laws allow courts to confiscate weapons from people found to be at risk of harming themselves or others. Today, 17 states and the District of Columbia have passed such measures.
Gun rights groups have fought against them. But some say that a major loss in Colorado this year may be a sign of a changing tide.
Above Colorado's capitol, the flags are still flying at half-staff for Dayton and El Paso, where mass shootings claimed 31 lives last weekend. And after a bout with gun rights advocates in the state, freshman legislator Tom Sullivan still has his seat and still works for stricter gun control laws. Sullivan, whose son Alex was killed during the 2012 theater massacre in Aurora, supported Colorado's new red flag law. Gun rights groups launched a recall campaign – but gave up when they found little public support.
"News flash, we can't bat 100 or 1,000," said Dudley Brown, the head of Rocky Mountain Gun Owners, the group that led the recall.
Groups like Rocky Mountain Gun Owners suffered another setback this week. This time, it came from President Trump, who called for red flag laws in the wake of the Dayton and El Paso shootings.
"We're going to say, 'call him, tell him what you think of his betrayal of principles and his base,'" Brown said.
Just six years ago, gun rights groups won a recall of John Morse, then-President of the Colorado Senate. Gun rights groups are now trying to recall Colorado's governor, Jared Polis.
"I am happy that the recall against Tom Sullivan fell apart," Morse said. "And I'm hoping that boosts the courage of those politicians, that are still just pandering politicians, but now pander to gun safety instead of pander away from it… because we are so tired of burying our children."
"There's going to be more parents of murdered children running for office…" Rep. Sullivan said. "And we're all going to take office on local level, state levels, and in Washington, D.C."