Texas GOP rejects Senate gun-control legislation, rebukes Cornyn

The Texas Republican party rebuked the state’s senior senator during its convention in Houston last weekend over his support for the Senate’s “so-called ‘bipartisan gun agreement’” in the wake of the Uvalde mass shooting.  

The resolution passed by voice vote and was adopted as part of the Texas GOP’s 40-page party platform, James Wesolek, its communications director, told The Hill.

“Whereas all gun control is a violation of the Second Amendment and our God-given rights, we reject the so-called ‘bipartisan gun agreement,’ and we rebuke [Sen.] John Cornyn (R-Texas),” reads the Resolution against the Gang of 20 Gun Control bill.

Cornyn has been leading a group of 10 GOP senators in negotiations with 10 Democrats, who announced an agreement on nine principles for their upcoming proposal, including funding for school mental heath and safety programs and reviews of juvenile records for gun purchasers under the age of 21, reports The Hill.

Texas junior senator Ted Cruz (R) has expressed concern that the bipartisan legislation will encourage states to pass red-flag laws. 

“We’ve seen consistently whenever there is a horrific criminal event that Democrats’ top priority is not stopping the bad guys, not stopping the criminals, but rather disarming law-abiding citizens,” Cruz said last week.

“If that’s what they try to push with this proposal, I think that would be a serious mistake.”

The Texas GOP takes more general stances on gun rights under Section 32, The Right to Keep and Bear Arms, including pledges to repeal and/or nullify the National Firearms Act of 1934 and the Gun Control Act of 1968, pass unrestricted constitutional carry in the state, and nullify “any gun laws that violate the 2nd Amendment or rights of due process.”

The platform also supports handgun safety and proficiency training for all teachers and permission to concealed carry on pre-K-12 school campuses (Section 119), and opposes all gun free zones (Section 227).

The resolution also listed other Republican senators involved in negotiations: Sens. Thom Tillis (R-NC), Roy Blunt (R-MO), Bill Cassidy (R-LA), Susan Collins (R-MN), Lindsey Graham, (R-SC), Rob Portman (R-OH), Mitt Romney (R-UT) and Pat Toomey (R-PA.).

Sen. Richard Burr (R-NC) is also involved but not included, likely accidentally, according to Wesolek.

The state party also approved a resolution rejecting the certified results of the 2020 Presidential election. It states there was “substantial election fraud in key metropolitan areas” which tipped the election in Joe Biden’s favor.