New Generation of Young Leaders Drive Gun Violence Reform in U.S. Politics
A new generation of young political leaders is gaining power by drawing on personal experiences with gun violence to push for reforms, marking a significant shift in the United States where gun-violence prevention has transitioned from a taboo topic to a mainstream campaign platform.
Tennessee state representative Justin Pearson, who was photographed in New Orleans on August 8, 2025, is running in a Democratic primary for the US Congress against Steve Cohen. His campaign centers on gun violence and its profound impact on the youth of Tennessee. Pearson’s candidacy follows Tennessee’s deadliest shooting at Covenant Catholic School in Nashville—the very day he was sworn in. His personal connection to the issue is deepened by his family’s tragedies, including the death of his brother Timphrance by suicide in December 2024 and the earlier loss of two mentors in Memphis.
Health department data from Tennessee confirm that gunshot wounds are the leading cause of death among the state’s young residents, underscoring the urgent need for gun-violence reform.
This movement has also been a pipeline for officeholders nationally, with Gen Z Representative Maxwell Frost; former Moms Demand Action activists Lucy McBath and Abigail Spanberger; and Parkland shooting survivor Cameron Kasky all moving into elected roles or active campaigns.
There has been a historic shift in the Democratic Party’s relationship to the National Rifle Association (NRA). Following the Parkland shooting, the party’s members widely dropped NRA A ratings, and currently many Democrats take pride in holding an F rating from the NRA.
Personal tragedies continue to fuel advocacy, exemplified by Shaundelle Brooks, who lost her son in the 2018 Nashville Waffle House shooting and has since become a dedicated advocate for gun policy change. Leaders in the movement also emphasize that gun violence policy intersects with broader social issues including veteran suicides, access to mental health care, poverty, and housing instability. They argue that effective legislation must address these interconnected harms rather than pursuing single-issue reforms.
