Eight House Republicans joined all but two Democrats to vote for increased gun control on Tuesday, Feb. 26.
The House of Representatives passed the “Bipartisan Background Checks Bill (H.R. 8)” by a vote of 240 to 190. The bill would expand background checks for nearly every gun sale, but is not expected to pass the Republican-held senate.
The Republicans who voted in favor of the bill include:
- Florida Rep. Mario Diaz-Balart, who has served in Congress since 2002 and was easily re-elected in Florida’s 25th district during the 2018 midterms
Rep. Mario Diaz-Balart (R-FL) speaks before Vice President Mike Pence takes to the podium at Iglesia Doral Jesus Worship Center after meeting with Venezuelan exiles and community leaders in Doral, Florida, on Feb. 1, 2019. Joe Raedle/Getty Images
- Florida Rep. Vern Buchanan, who has represented Florida’s 16th district in Congress since 2007
- Florida Rep. Brian Mast, who is an advocate for gun control and has criticized gun rights groups such as the NRA
- Republican Pennsylvania Rep. Brian Fitzpatrick, who won a close race last November to represent Pennsylvania’s newly re-drawn first district, and has been a staunch supporter of gun control
- Texas Rep. Will Hurd, who won one of the closest races in the country during the 2018 midterms and has voted with the Democrats on critical issues such as health care and immigration
House Homeland Security Committee member Rep. Will Hurd (R-TX) askes questions about worldwide threats to the United States during a hearing in the Cannon House Office Building on Capitol Hill in Washington, on Oct. 21, 2015. Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images
(L-R) Speaker of the House Rep. Paul Ryan (R-WI), Irish Taoiseach Leo Varadkar , President Donald Trump, Vice President Mike Pence, and Rep. Peter King (R-NY) walk down the House steps at the Capitol after the Friends of Ireland luncheon on Capitol Hill in Washington, on March 15, 2018. Alex Wong/Getty Images
- New Jersey Rep. Chris Smith also voted in support of increased background checks, a policy proposal he has previously championed
Christopher Smith (R-NJ) (R) arrives for a vote at the Capitol on Capitol Hill in Washington, on Jan. 15, 2013. Alex Wong/Getty Images
- Michigan Rep. Fred Upton, who represents a moderate district in Michigan and is widely known for his bipartisanship
Rep. Fred Upton (R-Mich.) speaks during the funeral mass for former Rep. John Dingell (D-Mich.) at Holy Trinity Church in Washington, on Feb. 14, 2019. Alex Wong/Getty Images
By William Davis
