The US Congressional elections this week showed that the pro-gun lobby there is not as powerful as it claims. Around 95% of the candidates endorsed by the Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence won their seats. By contrast, the National Rifle Association spent a great deal of money supporting pro-gun candidates who lost – including 6 candidates for the Senate who each received $1 million from the NRA.

Rachel Stohl of the UN’s Small Arms Working Group said it was difficult to predict any possible impacts on the gun debate at this early stage. She said gun issues cut across political lines and control of the House of Representatives by the Democrats could not be considered a victory in itself for supporters of tighter gun controls.

“The gun issue remains extremely politically sensitive and very dependent on regional contexts and it cuts right across party lines,” she said.

Rebecca Peters, IANSA’s Director said the results had highlighted a particularly critical issue.

“Strong gun laws are not a political death knell,” she said. “In the context of the United States, policies supporting tighter gun laws have traditionally been seen as a vote killer in many states but clearly, that’s not the case at all. US political candidates can support strong gun laws and still win elections.”