When it comes to fighting gun violence, the candidates for House District 8 are aiming for different targets. The district covers Gadsden and part of Leon County.
Republican challenger Grace Glass says personal responsibility plays a central role in ensuring guns don't fall into the wrong hands.
“It is statistically programmed that criminals who utilize guns, whether it’s armed robberies or violent crimes, they’ve been associated with being stolen out of a car,” Glass says. “So, if we continue to do our part, the criminals, by God’s grace will do theirs. But we have to ensure that we follow the laws and what we’re supposed to be doing.”
Incumbent Democrat Gallop Franklin says the state should focus on what he sees as some of the root causes behind crime—including poverty, lack of housing, and limited access to mental health care. He says another idea is developing technology to limit who can use a firearm.
“Obviously, if you pick up my phone, you can’t open it because it does not match maybe your eyes or maybe your finger,” Franklin says. “So, ensuring that we have biometrics involved in a way where only those who purchase the weapon can use it, is another way to keep guns out of the hands of criminals.”
Both candidates spoke during a forum hosted by WFSU, The League of Women Voters and the Tallahassee Democrat.
