Manchin, Warner change stances on gun rights in wake of Newtown shootings

By Debbi Wilgoren, Laura Vozzella and David A. Fahrenthold, WashPost, Updated: Monday, December 17, 1:41 PM

As funerals began in Connecticut on Monday, there was further proof that Friday’s mass shooting has reawakened a long-dormant debate in Washington: whether, and how, to limit assault weapons like the one used by the gunman at Sandy Hook Elementary School.

Two prominent Democratic senators — both of whom had won support from gun-rights groups in the past — said the killings had changed long-held positions. Mark R. Warner (D-Va.) and Joe Manchin (D-W.Va.) said they would be open to greater regulation of assault rifles.

“I’ve been a strong supporter of Second Amendment rights,” Warner said Monday outside the Virginia Capitol, where he was attending an unrelated meeting. “I’ve got an A rating from the NRA. But the status quo isn’t acceptable. I’ve got three daughters.”

“They asked me on Friday evening, ‘Dad, what are you gonna do about this?’ ” Warner added. “There’s got to be a way to put reasonable restrictions, particularly as we look at assault weapons, as we look at these fast clips of ammunition.”

(More here.)