Heinrich looks for common ground

Sen. Martin Heinrich, D-N.M., told local reporters last week that even though Democrats won’t be able to get their wish list on gun control legislation in the wake of several recent and horrific mass shootings, they may be able to find common ground with Republicans on some issues.

Heinrich is part of a bipartisan group of senators who have met multiple times in recent days to negotiate some sort of gun control legislation, though what that will look like remains to be seen.

“Just because we can’t pass exactly what we want, we still have the responsibility to do whatever we can,” Heinrich told reporters last week at Kirtland Air Force Base. “… What really bothers me is, as someone who has been a gun owner all my life, and also has kids who had to go through active shooter drills, that we can’t come up with something that we can agree on.”

At least one Republican negotiating with Heinrich appeared on CBS’ “Face the Nation” on Sunday morning and expressed optimism that something could gain Republican support.

Sen. Pat Toomey, R-Pa., said that while Republicans are not likely to get on board to ban assault weapons, he’s hopeful members of his party will support expanding background checks. He went so far as to say he thinks about half of the chamber’s Republicans might consider such a measure.

“It feels to me that we’re closer than we’ve been since I’ve been in the Senate,” Toomey said.