Guns

Background checks for gun sales

97 public statements from 2026 candidates · 2 related bills

§1The range of views

Why this matters: A background check is meant to screen out buyers the law bars from owning guns, so these rules decide how many gun sales include that screening.

Drafted by AI, then checked for neutral wording in a separate AI review. It describes the question and the main positions, not any candidate's view. Facts link to their sources.

Whether a background check should be required for every gun sale, including sales between private individuals, which federal law requires only when the seller is a licensed gun dealer.1

  1. Require checks for all gun sales, including private sales (with exceptions such as gifts between family members)
  2. Require checks for private sales at gun shows and online, but not other private sales
  3. Keep current law, with checks required only for sales by licensed dealers

These options describe policies, not people. The order is not a ranking.

§2What candidates have said

Why this matters: Statements candidates made publicly, summarized in plain words with a link to where they said it. Candidates who haven't spoken publicly on this issue aren't listed.

Drafted by AI from the public sources cited. Each sentence links to its source.

Require checks for all gun sales, including private sales (with exceptions such as gifts between family members) (60)

  • Robb Ryerse AR-3
    His campaign website says background checks should apply to every gun sale.2
  • Richard Pan CA-6
    His campaign website says that in Congress he would work to require universal background checks for gun sales.3
  • Sam Liccardo CA-16
    His campaign website says Congress must close the loophole that lets buyers avoid background checks by purchasing guns from unlicensed sellers, and the gap that lets sales go ahead after three days when a check is not finished.4
  • Salud Carbajal CA-24
    His campaign website says he has backed and helped pass gun safety measures that would institute universal background checks.5
  • Gil Cisneros CA-31
    His campaign website says he will fight for universal background checks.6,7
  • Brad Sherman CA-32
    His campaign website says he cosponsored the Bipartisan Background Checks Act, which would require background checks for private gun transfers, and the Enhanced Background Checks Act, which would extend the FBI's review period from 3 to 10 days.8
  • Robert Garcia CA-42
    His campaign website says he will work to put universal background checks in place, and that he introduced the AMMO Act to require background checks for ammunition purchases and limit how much ammunition can be bought.9
  • Derek Tran CA-45
    His campaign website says he has fought for universal background checks.10
  • Marni von Wilpert CA-48
    Her campaign website says she will keep fighting for gun laws including universal background checks.11
  • Mike Levin CA-49
    His campaign website says he signed on to the Bipartisan Background Checks Act to require background checks on all gun sales and transfers, with narrow exceptions such as gifts to family members.12
  • John Hickenlooper CO Senate
    His campaign website says he supports legislation to expand background checks to all gun sales.13
  • Melat Kiros CO-1
    Her platform supports universal background checks for every gun sale and closing the loophole that lets a sale go ahead before a check is finished.14
  • Jason Crow CO-6
    His campaign website says he supported H.R. 8 to expand background checks to all gun sales and introduced legislation to bar selling long guns to residents of other states who could not buy them in their home state.15
  • Luke Bronin CT-1
    His campaign website says he will fight for universal background checks.16
  • Sarah McBride DE-AL
    Her campaign website says she backs the Bipartisan Background Checks Act to expand background checks to nearly all gun sales.17
  • Gay Valimont FL-1
    Her campaign website says she supports universal background checks for gun sales.18
  • Mike Sell FL-4
    His campaign's platform calls for universal background checks on every gun transfer, with no exceptions, and its bill tracker lists him as supporting the Bipartisan Background Checks Act of 2025.19,20
  • Darren Soto FL-9
    A 2018 Spanish-language page still on his campaign website lists universal background checks for all gun purchases in a gun safety plan he proposed in Congress.21
  • Kimberly Overman FL-12
    Her campaign platform lists universal background checks among her gun safety priorities.22
  • Mark Davis FL-16
    His policy platform says he is a gun owner who supports the Second Amendment and also supports gun regulation, including background checks and closing private-sale and gun-show loopholes.23
  • Matthew Montavon FL-17
    His campaign website says Congress must require universal and comprehensive background checks.24
  • Nicole Locklin FL-26
    Her campaign website says she supports universal background checks and safe firearm storage.25
  • Eliott Rodriguez FL-27
    His campaign website says he supports requiring universal background checks for all firearm sales.26
  • David Jolly FL Governor
    His campaign website says Florida should require universal background checks for gun sales.27
  • Lucy McBath GA-6
    Her campaign website says she has worked on legislation that passed the House, including universal background checks for all gun sales.28
  • Keisha Lance Bottoms GA Governor
    Her campaign website says she supports universal background checks.29
  • Jill N. Tokuda HI-2
    Her campaign website says she has advocated nationwide measures including comprehensive background checks for all gun purchases and transfers.30
  • Delia Ramirez IL-3
    Her campaign website says she is a champion for stronger gun laws, including universal background checks.31
  • Mike Quigley IL-5
    His campaign website says he supports legislation that requires background checks on all gun sales, including sales at gun shows and online.32
  • Sean Casten IL-6
    His campaign website says he believes in common-sense gun reforms like universal background checks, and lists cosponsoring the Bipartisan Background Checks Act.33,34
  • Daniel Biss IL-9
    His campaign website says every gun sale, whether at a store, a gun show or online, should require a background check.35
  • Bill Foster IL-11
    His campaign website says the country needs universal background checks for all gun buyers, whether buying from a store, a dealer, at a gun show or on the internet, and that he voted for H.R. 8 and H.R. 1112.36
  • Lauren Underwood IL-14
    Her campaign website says she supported House passage of the Bipartisan Background Checks Act and the Enhanced Background Checks Act to establish universal background checks for all gun sales.37
  • J.D. Ford IN-5
    His campaign platform says he would implement universal background checks.38
  • Brad A. Meyer IN-9
    His campaign website says he supports universal background checks.39
  • Sharice L. Davids KS-3
    Her campaign website says she supported universal background checks.40
  • Lauren Jewett LA-1
    Her campaign website says she supports universal background checks as part of gun legislation she says would keep everyone safe.41
  • Priscilla Gonzalez LA-3
    Her campaign website's Crime in Lake Charles page says she would back federal gun-safety measures such as universal background checks, closing gaps in the background check system and more funding for gun violence research.42
  • Richard E. Neal MA-1
    His campaign website says he supports universal background checks, including for sales by unlicensed sellers, online and at gun shows.43
  • Lori Loureiro Trahan MA-3
    Her campaign website says she supports comprehensive background checks at every point of sale, including closing the gun show loophole for sales at gun shows, on the web and by other unlicensed sellers.44
  • Dan Koh MA-6
    His campaign website says he supports universal background checks.45
  • Stephen F. Lynch MA-8
    His campaign website says he supports universal background checks covering all firearms purchases, including those at gun shows, through classified ads and on the internet.46
  • Dan Schwartz MD-1
    His campaign website lists universal background checks among the gun safety measures he would implement, and says he would close the boyfriend loophole to protect victims of domestic violence.47
  • April McClain Delaney MD-6
    Her campaign website says she supports universal background checks.48
  • Zebulon Featherly MI-1
    His campaign website says he supports the Second Amendment and supports requiring a background check for everyone who buys a firearm, wherever the purchase takes place.49,50
  • Hillary Scholten MI-3
    Her campaign website lists universal background checks among the gun safety reforms she supports.51
  • Ray Pooley MI-9
    His campaign website says he supports gun reforms including ensuring all sales require a background check, raising the purchasing age for firearms and closing loopholes that let domestic violence abusers get guns.52
  • Ilhan Omar MN-5
    Her campaign website's gun violence page says she wants background checks for every firearm sale, including those at gun shows.53
  • Wesley Bell MO-1
    His campaign website lists universal background checks among the gun reforms he is fighting for.54
  • Alani Bankhead MT Senate
    Her campaign website says she supports universal background checks.55
  • Alma S. Adams NC-12
    Her campaign website says Congress needs to require background checks for firearm purchases and close the gun show loophole.56
  • Denise Powell NE-2
    Her campaign website says she supports universal background checks, aimed at keeping guns from people convicted of felonies and from gang members.57
  • Rob Menendez NJ-8
    Its gun control page lists widening background checks so that no one can buy a gun from a private seller without safety measures, and says he cosponsored the Bipartisan Background Checks Act.58
  • LaMonica R. McIver NJ-10
    Her campaign page on safeguarding communities says she supports universal background checks, closing loopholes in how background checks work, and adding waiting periods.59
  • Teresa Leger Fernandez NM-3
    Her campaign website says she supports background checks on all gun sales.60
  • Chris Henry OR Senate
    His platform supports universal background checks for gun sales.61
  • Annie Andrews SC Senate
    Her campaign website says she supports universal background checks, along with safe storage laws and more funding for violence prevention programs.62
  • Jerri Green TN Governor
    Her platform calls for universal background checks on all gun sales.63
  • Lauren Pinkston TN Governor
    Her campaign website says she wants to close the gap that lets private sellers sell guns without a background check.64
  • James Talarico TX Senate
    His campaign website says he supports universal background checks for gun sales.65

Require checks for private sales at gun shows and online, but not other private sales (1)

  • Mike Thompson CA-4
    His campaign website says he wrote bipartisan legislation requiring criminal background checks for all commercial gun sales, so buyers could not avoid checks by going online or to a gun show, while protecting the Second Amendment rights of law-abiding gun owners.66

Keep current law, with checks required only for sales by licensed dealers (1)

  • Seth Bodnar MT Senate
    His campaign website opposes a new universal background check mandate and says the laws already on the books should be enforced instead of adding new mandates.67

Statements that don't match one option (35)

  • Scott Wiener CA-11
    His campaign website says he would expand and strengthen federal background checks, including closing the gap that lets a sale proceed before a check is finished.68
  • Ro Khanna CA-17
    His campaign website says he supports stronger background checks and closing gun show loopholes.69
  • Jim Costa CA-21
    His campaign website says he helped enact the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act, which it says strengthened background checks for gun buyers under 21.70
  • Larry Thompson CA-32
    His campaign website says he supports the Second Amendment but believes in background checks, and that people who use a gun in a crime should go to prison.71,72
  • Dave Min CA-47
    His campaign website says he has supported bills to expand background checks.73
  • Joe Neguse CO-2
    His campaign website says he helped lead House efforts to pass legislation closing loopholes in the background check system.74
  • Jim Himes CT-4
    His campaign website says he fights for gun safety laws including background checks and better mental health screening before gun purchases.75
  • Jahana Hayes CT-5
    Her campaign website says she has advocated for expanded background checks, along with red flag laws, gun buyback programs and raising the age to buy an automatic weapon.76
  • Michael "Dr. Mike" Katz DE Senate
    His campaign website says he opposes universal background check mandates that would criminalize private transfers between family members.77
  • Eric Yonce FL-6
    His campaign website says background checks should be strengthened to cover histories of serious violence or dangerous crises, and that new gun buyers should meet safety training and competency standards.78
  • Ralph Groves FL-11
    A 2019 position paper posted on his campaign website argues that expanded background checks would not keep guns away from criminals, while saying checks can be useful for screening people with criminal records.79
  • Lois Frankel FL-23
    Her campaign website says she has backed measures to strengthen background checks.80
  • Kevin E. Martin GA-6
    His campaign website says he supports keeping guns away from felons and people who have shown they are a danger to others, and says a citizen with no criminal record should not have to work through a pile of red tape to buy a firearm.81
  • Andrew Clyde GA-9
    His campaign website says the Brady background check system should be eliminated, arguing that the FBI cannot be trusted to carry out the background check law properly.82
  • Lindsay James IA-2
    Her campaign website says she supports closing loopholes and mandating violent history checks for gun purchases.83
  • Chris Getty IL-4
    His campaign website says he wants to keep guns away from dangerous people through effective background checks and strong enforcement of laws targeting violent criminals and illegal gun trafficking.84
  • Brad Schneider IL-10
    His campaign website says he has fought for legislation that would expand background checks to keep guns out of the hands of criminals and close the gun show loophole.85
  • Whitfield Harrington Jr IL Senate
    His campaign website says he supports the Second Amendment, sensible background checks and reasonable safeguards, but will oppose laws that deny responsible citizens their rights.86
  • Cynthia (Cinde) Wirth IN-6
    Her campaign website says she supports common-sense gun laws, including expanded firearm background checks and expanded gun-safety programs, and that guns should be well regulated.87
  • "Jamie" Davis LA Senate
    His campaign website says he is a gun owner who will protect the Second Amendment rights of law-abiding Louisianans and supports gun safety measures such as background checks.88
  • Katherine M. Clark MA-5
    Her campaign website says she voted to close background check loopholes.89
  • Bill Keating MA-9
    His campaign website lists passing the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act among his accomplishments and says the law requires enhanced background checks for people under 21.90
  • Sarah Elfreth MD-3
    Her campaign website says she has supported gun safety legislation to ensure proper background checks.91
  • Ronald C. Russell ME-1
    His campaign website says he supports targeted reforms that improve how mental health records are integrated into background checks, along with more mental health resources and interagency coordination, and opposes burdensome gun control measures.92
  • Jeremy Moss MI-11
    His campaign website says federal gun safety protections should include expanding background checks, and lists among his accomplishments Michigan’s 2023 gun safety laws, which expanded background checks.93
  • Erik Osberg MN-7
    His Firearms and Gun Safety priority says he supports background checks that keep guns away from people who should not have them.94
  • Josh Smead MO-6
    His campaign website lists keeping and enforcing background checks and documenting gun sales and changes in ownership of deadly weapons, and its What Freedom Means page calls for background checks on gun sales, safe gun storage and records of gun transactions.95,96
  • Michael D Eisenhauer MT-2
    His Voter Contract page says he will back improvements to the background-check system, closing what it calls the gun-show loophole, and a 72-hour waiting period, and his Issues page says gun-show sales should be treated like commercial point-of-sale purchases.97,98
  • Steven Feldman NC-10
    His campaign website says the government should not confiscate guns from law-abiding citizens and that some regulations may be reasonable. It says gun owners have told him that background checks, safety courses and waiting periods could be helpful approaches, and that rules can differ by state.99
  • Brad Knott NC-13
    His campaign website says current gun laws already include a background check system and bans on gun possession by felons and people addicted to drugs, and that those laws should be enforced instead of passing new ones that he says target law-abiding people rather than criminals.100
  • Macey Budke NE-3
    Her campaign website says she supports responsible gun ownership together with stronger enforcement of background check rules.101
  • Donald Norcross NJ-1
    His campaign website says he has called for ending the loophole that lets people on the Terror Watchlist legally buy firearms and explosives, saying no-fly should mean no-buy.102
  • Ryan Michael Kelly NJ-3
    His campaign website says he supports expanded background checks.103
  • Danielle Ford NV Governor
    Her campaign website says she supports lawful gun ownership along with background checks, crisis intervention, training, safe storage and enforcement of existing restrictions.104
  • Mark R. Warner VA Senate
    His campaign website says he supports background checks as a way to reduce gun violence.105

§3Related bills

Why this matters: Bills from 2023–2026 that bear on this issue, with how Congress handled them.