“If [Republicans] want to call me a gun grabber, go ahead and see if that doesn’t backfire on them.”

Pat Ryan for Congress / Via Twitter: @PatRyanNY19

An ad from Pat Ryan, an Iraq War veteran and one of the Democratic candidates running in a Republican district in upstate New York, cuts from footage of US soldiers in combat to shots of children dressing in combat armor to attend class. “If our children are going up against this,” says Ryan, holding a long-arm rifle, “they should have the same protection we give our soldiers. Or we could just get rid of assault rifles. What makes more sense to you?” The ad has been viewed over half a million times on Twitter. NY-19 is a district that voted for Trump by seven points and is currently represented by Republican Rep. John Faso. But Ryan’s campaign says their internal polling shows gun control is the number one issue of mind to voters there. They’ve made gun control the central theme of his campaign. On June 16, he’s marching 30 miles with high school students from the home of Franklin Roosevelt to Faso’s office to call for an assault weapons ban. Ryan’s campaign says his two tours in Iraq help him reach the type of voters who would typically not listen to a Democrat when it comes to guns. “The door opens up a little bit wider. They’re willing to listen,” said campaign manager Tim Wagner. “The same old same old messengers are not moving voters. People want something new.” Ryan is just one of the several Democratic midterm candidates embracing gun control in conservative-leaning districts where the party formerly shied away from the issue. They say that their record gives them a credibility that lets them reach voters who would otherwise dismiss a Democrat. The pitches are often personal, as they draw on their experiences in Iraq and Afghanistan. In calling for an assault rifle ban, they can (and do) make the argument: I used these extremely lethal weapons in combat, no one knows better than me how dangerous they are and that they have no place on our streets. The 2018 midterms will take place in the same year as deadly school shooting massacres in Parkland, Florida, and Santa Fe, Texas, and are one year removed from a shooter opening fire at a Las Vegas country music concert in the deadliest mass shooting by an individual in US history. Congress has done barely anything in response. Taking on the NRA head-on in swing or conservative districts is typically seen as an unwise move, but several veterans are attempting to do just that.

Dan Helmer / Via Twitter: @HelmerVA10 Congressional candidate Dan Helmer released a campaign video that showed him buying an assault rifle at a gun show with no background check.

In New Jersey’s 11th District, Mikie Sherrill is marching with students for gun control. In Colorado’s 6th District, Jason Crow is running ads saying the weapons he used in Iraq and Afghanistan are “tearing our communities apart.” In New York’s 11th District, Max Rose is calling for an assault rifle ban and several further restrictions. In Texas’s 21st District, which hasn’t elected a Democrat in three decades, Joseph Kopser is denouncing the NRA as “little more than a hired bully for gun manufacturers,” and touting a veteran’s approach to gun control laws. Kopser has won his primary and will face an uphill battle against Republican candidate Chip Roy, the former chief of staff to Sen. Ted Cruz (last cycle, the district went to Republican Lamar Smith by 21 points). But Kopser says that most people agree on common-sense gun control measures when you have a conversation with them, and his record allows him to break through the fearmongering that Democrats just want to take guns away. “I can tell you that if ever I’m accused of being a gun grabber by Chip Roy I’ll make it very clear that indeed I did grab my weapon in Iraq every time I left the safety of our installation. I did grab my weapon every single time I left my combat vehicle,” he said. “So if he and Ted Cruz want to call me a gun grabber, go ahead and see if that doesn’t backfire on them.” His proposals include banning assault weapons and high-capacity magazines, raising the age limit for purchasing guns, and instituting a “no fly, no buy” rule that bans gun sales to people on the Transportation Security Administration’s No Fly List. Former National Republican Congressional Committee chair Rep. Tom Cole is skeptical that the gun control message will work in conservative districts. “Believe me you’re not going to be running in Oklahoma and be pro–gun control,” he said. “I think running against the NRA in most of Texas is not a winning proposition.” Cole said that the veteran candidates are strong advocates for their personal beliefs, but ultimately they’ll have a hard time getting elected if those beliefs clash with those of the people in their district. He speculated that the gun control push may play better in Democratic primaries than it would in the general election this fall, and that candidates may adjust their focus accordingly. “Most people aren’t single-issue voters but the ones that are tend to break against gun control, at least in areas like I represent,” said Cole.

Jason Crow / Via youtube.com Jason Crow, a veteran running for Congress in Colorado, released an ad attacking incumbent Republican Mike Coffman for his relationship with the NRA.