The National Rifle Association, facing the greatest pressure from gun control campaigners for a generation, has made a 39-year-old woman its public face as it seeks to fend off criticism following the Florida school shooting.

In the days since 17 people were killed at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, the NRA, a group that lobbies on behalf of gun rights campaigners and weapons manufacturers, has been under intense scrutiny over its donations to politicians and its unwillingness to compromise, even on issues such as getting rid of bump stocks, a device that allows someone to fire a rifle as if it is a fully automatic weapon.

Last week, the NRA’s CEO, Wayne LaPierre, delivered a fiery speech at the Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC) outside of Washington DC, in which claimed politicians and the media were trying to exploit the shooting. “As usual, the opportunists waited not one second to exploit tragedy for political gain,” he said.

Yet, although Mr LaPierre’s speech received considerable media coverage, it has not been him, but rather the group’s spokeswoman, Dana Loesch, who has her own conservative radio show, who has been front and centre for the NRA, trying to defend actions that many believe are indefensible.

Ms Loesch has appeared on a flurry of news channels, taken part in a so-called town hall meeting organised by CNN in Florida where she was attacked by Parkland students and residents, and gone to war on Twitter to insist the NRA is not a lobbying group.

She has condemned the FBI for failing to follow up on tips about alleged gunman Nikolas Cruz, and took a similar tone to Mr LaPierre in attacking the media.

“Many in the legacy media love mass shootings. You guys love it. Now, I’m not saying you love the tragedy, but I am saying that you love the ratings. Crying white mothers are ratings gold to you,” she said.

Experts believe Ms Loesch has brought poise, youth and public speaking skills to the NRA, since she was appointed its spokesperson last year.

Stoneman Douglas school principal vows to hug every pupil affected by the Parkland shooting

Charlie Sykes, a longtime conservative radio host who has been critical of the NRA, told the Associated Press, Ms Loesch had the ability to speak to a wide range of Americans while not giving away an inch when it came to the organisation’s positions.

“Imagine Wayne LaPierre sitting in that seat and you realise the significance of Dana,” Mr Sykes said. “She can bring the hot sauce without having that persona of an angry white man.”

Ms Loesch, who did not respond to requests for an interview, grew up in a blue-collar family in a Missouri town near St Louis. She was brought up largely by her mother after her parents divorced. She told the New York Times she recalled her grandfather hunting deer and raccoon, but also a night that her grandfather stood on the porch with a shotgun to protect her aunt from an estranged husband.

“Looking back, I think I always wanted to know that I was safe,” she said.

A co-founder of the St Louis Tea Party who came to the attention of the conservative movement by means of a popular blog she wrote, Ms Loesch studied journalism at Webster University, but dropped out when she became pregnant with her first son. The blog led to stints as a political analyst at Breitbart News Network and The Blaze.

Breitbart’s founder, the late Andrew Breitbart, told the RiverFront Times in 2010: “Everybody was telling me about this amazing person who just emerged out of nowhere, who had this amazing spirit and had the ability to write [and] who was almost the embodiment of everything that I want to happen with journalism.”

He added: “I can't even begin to tell you how many fans she has in the higher media who say she needs to have her own TV show. She’s a stay-at-home mom who homeschools her kids; she’s beautiful; she's smart; she’s fearless. She’s a pure rising star.”

Ms Loesch, who has said she keeps a handgun near her bed and has a tattoo on her forearm with a reference to a Bible passage calling for Christians to wear holy armour, has never shied away from controversy. During a 2012 radio show, she said she had no problems with US Marines who had urinated on dead Taliban soldiers, declaring: “I’d drop trou and do it too.”

In the days since Parkland, Ms Loesch has sought to defend the NRA’s positions against passionate and persistent attacks from students, activists and politicians.

During the town hall meeting in Florida, she was confronted by Emma González, a Stoneman Douglas student who has emerged as one of the teenager’s national leaders. Standing directly across the stage from Ms Loesch, Ms González said: “I want you to know that we will support your children in a way that you will not.”

Florida shooting – in pictures Show all 10 1 /10 Florida shooting – in pictures Florida shooting – in pictures Police arrest a suspect in connection with the shooting at the Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida Reuters Florida shooting – in pictures Parents wait for news after reports of a shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida AP Florida shooting – in pictures Anxious family members wait for news of students AP Photo/Wilfredo Lee Florida shooting – in pictures Students being evacuated from the school AP Florida shooting – in pictures Students being evacuated from the school Getty Florida shooting – in pictures People gather waiting for word from students AP Florida shooting – in pictures Parents waiting for news on their children AP Florida shooting – in pictures People gather at a hotel where students were taken after the shooting Getty Florida shooting – in pictures Florida Governor Rick Scott speaks to the media as he visits Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School following the shooting AFP/Getty Florida shooting – in pictures Dr. Igor Nichiporenko, Medical Director Trauma, left, and Dr. Evan Boyer, Medical Director, Emergency Services, speak about treating victims and the suspect at a press conference outside Broward Health North hospital AP

Before responding, Mr Loesch praised Ms González for speaking out about gun control. “I was a very politically active teenager and I’m on this stage as a result of that. Think of how far you all could go as a result of voicing your beliefs.”

While many felt Ms Loesch failed to answer the questions that were put to her, others said she did as good a job as could have been expected of anybody under the circumstances.

At the weekend, she appeared on ABC, where she told anchor George Stephanopoulos the focus in the aftermath of the Parkland shooting should have been on local and FBI officials. “I wish as much attention were given to the Broward County Sheriff and their abdication of duty, as trying to blame five million innocent law-abiding Americans out there [who belong to the NRA],” she said.

Florida school shooting survivor David Hogg appeared on the same show and criticised Ms Loesch for what she was doing. “Honestly, it’s disgusting. [The NRA acts] like they don’t own these politicians, but they do,” he said.

“They’ve got gun legislation passed before in their favour, in favour of gun manufacturers. The NRA is an organisation that’s completely broken.”

Ms Loesch, who has authored two books including Hands off my Gun: Defeating the Plot to Disarm America, also found time to go to battle on social media where she claimed the NRA was not a lobbying group.