The Republican lieutenant governor of Texas said Friday he's willing to push for mandatory background checks on gun sales between strangers, bucking the party line and the stance of the National Rifle Association.

Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick told The Dallas Morning News he would "take an arrow" and press for required background checks on stranger-to-stranger private sales. Patrick, a staunch gun-rights supporter, said such checks are "common sense."

"When I talk to gun owners, NRA members and voters, people don't understand why we allow strangers to sell guns to total strangers when they have no idea if the person they're selling the gun to could be a felon, could be someone who's getting a gun to go commit a crime or could be a potential mass shooter or someone who has serious mental issues," Patrick told the newspaper. "Look, I'm a solid NRA guy, but not expanding the background check to eliminate the stranger-to-stranger sale makes no sense to me and ... most folks."

Lawmakers and advocates have debated expanding background checks on gun sales with increased vigor since a pair of mass shootings, one of which took place in Texas, rattled the country last month. On Aug. 3, a gunman walked into an El Paso Walmart and fatally shot 22 people in an attack targeting Mexicans and immigrants. Just hours later, another gunman killed nine people in a separate attack in Dayton, Ohio.

And days ago, a man fatally shot seven people and wounded more than 20 in Odessa, Texas, in a random attack.

At a federal level, Democrats have pushed the Republican-held Senate to pass a bill that would tighten background check requirements. The NRA opposes the measure, as do many Republican lawmakers. In Texas, Democrats in the legislature have urged Republican Gov. Greg Abbott to convene a special session on gun violence, but he has thus far resisted the calls.

Patrick's comments are in line with public opinion – polls show that an overwhelming majority of Americans support enhanced checks – and come as the NRA battles internal turmoil and accusations of financial misconduct and impropriety.

Patrick has advocated for increased background checks on stranger-to-stranger sales in the wake of the mass shootings. He said he would want to protect gun transfers among family members from necessitating a background check, as well as those between friends.

"Someone in the Republican Party has to take the lead on this," he told The Dallas Morning News.

He also suggested to the paper that it may be a savvy political move for Republicans as well.