Democratic presidential candidate Beto O’Rourke, in a video reiterating his gun-control stance, said Friday that while current AR-15 owners should “keep it” and “continue to use it responsibly,” he doesn’t see why new sales should be allowed.
“I just don’t think that we need to sell any more weapons of war into this public,” said O’Rourke, who co-sponsored a bill as a congressman to ban the sale of assault weapons. He also backs universal background checks and magazine size limits.
Just days after at least 50 people were killed at two mosques in New Zealand, Fox News host Pete Hegseth echoed a familiar refrain from gun owners:
‘Responsible gun owners recognize their right to own rifles like that. You can use “weapons of war” or “assault ban” all you like... but go out and get your second AR-15 today, maybe it’s a good day to do so.’ Pete Hegseth
Hegseth, an Army vet, said that O’Rourke’s comments will likely appeal to his “uninformed base” and that gun stocks would probably rally after “such easy, loose rhetoric of the left.”
At last check, Sturm Ruger RGR, +1.87% was up 2%, while Vista Outdoors VSTO, +2.95% was rallying 3%.
Watch the segment here:
Fox host Pete Hegseth tells viewers to stock up on AR-15s: "Go out and get your second AR-15 today. Maybe it's a good reason to do so." pic.twitter.com/YUjC4USzrA
— Media Matters (@mmfa) March 17, 2019
