Murphy: No concerns with Sanders on gun policy

Sen. Chris Murphy (D-Conn.) said Sunday that he is not concerned about Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) and the 2020 White House hopeful’s position on gun reform. 

CNN’s “State of the Union” host Jake Tapper asked Murphy about Sanders’s statements during his 2016 campaign that he did not think victims of crimes involving firearms should be eligible to sue gun-makers. 

{mosads}“Now, since then, he has changed his position, but do you have any concerns about Sanders’s position on guns?” Tapper asked.

“None. Sen. Sanders has stood with us over and over again,” Murphy said.

The Connecticut Democrat emphasized that Sanders has supported expanding background checks and removing assault weapons from the street. 

“He has been an ally,” he said. “Every single candidate in this Democratic primary has taken a very strong position has made it clear they’re going to make it a priority to solve this epidemic of gun violence if the nomination if they’re elected president.”

Tapper then asked Murphy if he “had any concerns” about Sanders’s ability to beat President Trump. The Connecticut Democrat replied, “I do not.”

“What we need is a candidate who has a base of enthusiastic supporters, who’s authentic, who speaks truth to power, who can throw a punch and who can take a punch,” he said. “I think anybody that’s polling in the top four or five fits that bill.”

“But Bernie’s base of support the enthusiasm behind him speaks to the strength of his candidacy both in primary and in the general election as well,” he added. 

Sanders has started off strong in the Democratic primary with wins in New Hampshire and Nevada and came in a close second place in Iowa. The candidate currently has garnered 29 delegates, although 28 of the delegates in Nevada have not been allocated to candidates as of Sunday morning.

Murphy, a senator from the state where the Sandy Hook elementary school shooting took place, previously criticized Sanders for his 2016 comments in a tweet.