Joined
·
22,296 Posts
Reports: Toomey may work with Dems on gun control billWASHINGTON — Could Sen. Pat Toomey be the Democrats' chance to get gun control legislation passed?
Reports circulated Friday afternoon that the Pennsylvania Republican is in talks with West Virginia Democratic Sen. Joe Manchin on a bill to expand background checks on gun sales, which is considered the one piece of the Democrats' guns agenda with a chance of becoming law.
"Manchin-Toomey negotiations, if successful, could provide a breakthrough on a key issue facing the White House and Senate Democrats," insider DC-publication Politico first reported.
With talks slowed, the goal of gun control advocates is to find support from a conservative Republican like Toomey to give political cover to GOP lawmakers who represent areas like suburban Philadelphia, where gun laws play better among constituents. In theory, those lawmakers can tell detractors Toomey's for it.