The Capital Times: Opinion | Biden stands with Wisconsin, Trump stands with the NRA

Madison Mayor Satya Rhodes-Conway, The Capital Times Opinion

Families across Wisconsin know we have to take gun safety seriously, and that’s why I, like so many in our communities, am deeply concerned about what a second Donald Trump term would mean for the safety of our state, our communities and our kids.

Donald Trump has repeatedly caved to the National Rifle Association and sold out our safety. Just this weekend, he cozied up to the NRA once again, speaking at their annual convention in Texas. The NRA gave tens of millions of dollars to help get Donald Trump elected, and Trump has even said, “there’s no bigger fan of the NRA” than him.

As the mayor of Madison and a member of Mayors Against Illegal Guns, a coalition that is part of Everytown for Gun Safety, I’ve heard from fellow mayors across the country and seen firsthand how Trump and the NRA’s agenda are hurting communities. We’ve made real progress in Madison to lower the amount of shots fired and support violence prevention efforts, but we must continue to address gun violence head on.

Under Donald Trump, our communities were less safe. He oversaw the largest increase in murder in U.S. history and one of the largest spikes in gun violence, and Trump even made it easier for convicted felons to purchase guns.

Donald Trump has opposed commonsense gun safety measures, like a federal assault weapons ban, and he has encouraged concealed carry in classrooms. Under Trump, Wisconsin saw a 33% rise in homicides and a 20% increase in violent crime.

Not only is Donald Trump’s and the NRA’s extreme agenda dangerous, it’s wildly out of step with the vast majority of Americans. Nearly nine in 10 Americans support President Biden’s proposal to require background checks for all gun sales and nearly two-thirds support his proposals to ban assault weapons and high-capacity magazines.

In stark contrast, President Joe Biden has taken on the gun lobby — and won. He signed the most significant federal bipartisan gun safety legislation in nearly 30 years, which includes the first ever federal gun trafficking prevention law and takes on gun dealers. Biden closed loopholes in our background check system and he established the first-ever White House Office of Gun Violence Prevention.

Without a doubt, Biden has made our communities and schools safer. Biden knows there’s more work to do, which is why he’s pushing to ban assault weapons and high capacity magazines.

As mayor, one of the worst kinds of phone calls I receive is that there has been a shooting in our city. It shocks our sensibilities and hurts our hearts. Biden understands this and it’s why he’s worked to protect our communities, unlike Donald Trump and the NRA.

This November, Wisconsinites will choose between a man who consistently sides with the NRA over our kids, and a leader who has passed meaningful gun safety legislation and made our schools and communities safer. The choice is clear: We must reelect Joe Biden and Kamala Harris because they will continue to address gun violence head on and work to make all Wisconsinites’ safer.

Satya Rhodes-Conway is the mayor of Madison and a national advisory board member for Biden-Harris 2024.

Read the original op-ed here.