Sen. Bernie Sanders Bernie SandersJacobin editor: Primarying Schumer would force him to fight Trump's SCOTUS nominee Trump campaign plays up Biden's skills ahead of Cleveland debate: 'He's actually quite good' Young voters backing Biden by 2:1 margin: poll MORE is arguing that his record makes him the best qualified presidential candidate to push through new limits on guns.

Despite criticism that the Vermont Independent has been to the right of many liberals on gun rules, Sanders said on CNN’s “State of the Union” that he is best positioned to negotiate new restrictions preventing mentally ill people from acquiring weapons.

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“I do not accept the fact that I have been weak on this issue. I have been strong on this issue,” Sanders claimed.

“In fact, coming from a rural state that has almost no gun control, I think I can get beyond the noise and all of these arguments and people shouting at each other and come up with real constructive gun control legislation which, most significantly, gets guns out of the hands of people who should not have them,” he said.

Despite the fact that Sanders is considered among the most liberal Democrats on many issues, he has been more moderate on gun issues

That’s been a vulnerability for the senator — who has come within striking distance of Hillary Clinton Hillary Diane Rodham ClintonJoe Biden looks to expand election battleground into Trump country Biden leads Trump by 12 points among Catholic voters: poll The Hill's Campaign Report: Biden goes on offense MORE in Iowa.

Earlier this summer, a super-PAC supporting former Maryland Gov. Martin O’Malley (D) chided Sanders for his stance on guns.

This weekend, Connecticut Gov. Dannel Malloy (D) said that Clinton’s position on guns “is a lot more popular than his position” among Democrats.

On Sunday, Sanders trumpeted the fact that he has a “D-minus” lifetime voting record from the National Rifle Association, and has cast difficult votes in opposition to the group.