MANCHESTER, N.H. — Sen. Bernard Sanders of Vermont on Friday defended his past positions on gun control as representative of the views of his “rural” state but said his views have now changed.

“The world has changed, and my views have changed,” Mr. Sanders said at the eighth Democratic presidential debate, while also saying he was “proud” to have a D-minus rating from the National Rifle Association now.

“I come, like New Hampshire, from a very, very rural state,” he said. “In Vermont, until two years ago we had virtually no gun control legislation. … I represented that perspective.”

Former Vice President Joseph R. Biden followed up by knocking Mr. Sanders for voting in the past in favor of shielding gun manufacturers from liability.

“While you were representing your constituency, an awful lot of people … all those folks in California and New York, Pennsylvania — they were getting killed by the thousands during this same period,” Mr. Biden said. “While I was pushing the Brady background checks, Bernie voted five times against it when he was in the House.”

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