Beto O’Rourke, the Democratic candidate for governor of Texas, appears to have changed his stance on AR-15 rifles again.
O’Rourke’s campaign website section on “Gun Safety” recently underwent a discreet change with a statement altered from calling for the “decrease” of AR-15s in circulation to proclaiming that no civilian should own the rifle.
The Internet Archives’ Wayback Machine shows that as recently as April 1, the “Gun Safety” campaign page contained the statement: “And while it might not be the easy or politically safe thing to say, I strongly believe that we need to reduce the number of AR-15’s and AK-47’s on our streets.”
Sometime after April 1, the most recent date the website was archived, the campaign changed the statement to read as follows: “And while it might not be the easy or politically safe thing to say, I don’t believe any civilian should own an AR-15 or AK-47.”
O’Rourke has had various stances on the debate over the AR-15 and other semiautomatic rifles throughout his history of running for office.
In his 2018 run against Republican Senator Ted Cruz, O’Rourke stated he was against gun confiscation.
“We support the Second Amendment; if you own a gun, keep that gun,” O’Rourke said in 2018. “No one wants to take it away from you, at least I don’t.”
In his 2019 campaign for President, O’Rourke took a position opposite his 2018 stance by supporting an outright ban on AR-15s.
“Hell yes, we’re going to take your AR-15, your AK-47,” O’Rourke famously said to cheers from a crowd at Texas Southern University. “We’re not going to allow it to be used against our fellow Americans anymore.”
O’Rourke made the viral statement at a Democratic presidential debate around five weeks after a mass shooting at an El Paso Walmart. The shooting resulted in 23 people killed in what federal law enforcement classified as an act of domestic terrorism.
State Representative Briscoe Cain (R-Deer Park) tweeted in response: “My AR is ready for you Robert Francis.” The tweet appears to have since been removed.
This is a death threat, Representative. Clearly, you shouldn't own an AR-15—and neither should anyone else. pic.twitter.com/jsiZmwjMDs
— Beto O'Rourke (@BetoORourke) September 13, 2019
Cain told The Texas Tribune at the time that he stood by his statement and argued he was not the one who was making threats.
“The threat was actually by the former congressman,” Cain said, “that he’s threatening to take my property.”
As late as November 2021, O’Rourke maintained his support for gun confiscation.
“Most of us understand the responsibility that comes with owning a firearm, and we will vigorously protect that Second Amendment right and also protect the lives of those around us,” he told The Texas Tribune. “But I think most of us also understand that we should not have military-style weapons used against our fellow Texans. We have four of the worst mass shootings in U.S. history right here in Texas that took place over the last five years.”
However, in February of this year, O’Rourke toned down his hardline stance on gun confiscation as his poll numbers slipped behind incumbent Republican Governor Greg Abbott.
“I have no interest in stealing anything or anyone else’s property. My primary goal is to ensure that we uphold our commitment to defending the Second Amendment. I want to ensure that we defend our fellow Texans in a significantly more effective manner than what we are doing right now,” he explained to reporters.
Some officials, like Cain, have pointed to O’Rourke’s shifting stance as serving his political agenda.
Rep. Cain told The Dallas Express, “Robert Francis will say anything that’s expedient to increase his appeal and lie to the people when he thinks it will increase his chances of getting elected. Make no mistake, he is a direct threat to the right of Texans to keep and bear arms. Texas will reject him and his ever-changing campaign promises in November. He won’t be taking anyone’s firearms. The only thing he’ll be taking is a big L in November.”
Even though O’Rourke’s campaign website indicates he has shifted his position on gun confiscation, he has yet to publicly declare whether or not he will attempt to prohibit the weapons in the state if elected governor of Texas.