Representative Diane Black, a Republican who is a candidate for Tennessee governor, drew criticism this week for saying that the “root” causes of gun violence included the “deterioration of family,” violent movies and widely available pornography.

A spokesman for Ms. Black’s campaign said she was referring to factors that contribute to violence.

“It’s no surprise that the liberal media would misconstrue the views of conservative Christians,” the spokesman, Chris Hartline, said in an email on Wednesday. “Diane, like many others, believes that the breakdown of family values and social structures is a contributing factor to violence. That’s clear if you actually listen to her words instead of reading clickbait headlines.”

Ms. Black, a gun rights supporter who opposes firearm restrictions, made the comments in a meeting with local pastors last week, according to HuffPost, which obtained audio that was recorded at the gathering.

“Why do we see kids being so violent?” she can be heard asking. “Because as a nurse I go back to root cause. And I think there’s a couple.”