Pure Horserace: Gun Control To The Front?

The shootings at Virginia Tech have prompted the presidential campaigns to temporarily suspend their activities and cancel planned appearances today. But when the candidates return to the trail, gun control may be among the first issues they're asked about.

The issue hasn't come up much thus far in the campaign, aside from a minor story over Mitt Romney's hunting experience — or lack thereof. But the deaths of 32 people at the hands of a gunman using weapons purchased in a state without strict gun control measures has already inspired a heated debate the presidential candidates may find difficult to avoid.

A quick look at the record shows that while the major Democrats in the field generally agree on this subject — they all support measures like five-day waiting periods and bans on assault weapons — there is more discord among Republicans. Romney's hunting gaffe came during an effort to gain the support of the National Rifle Association. While Romney now claims general opposition to most gun control measures, he has only recently embraced the issue — his "lifelong" membership to the NRA began just last year.

Rudy Giuliani is most at odds with the traditional stance of his party on the issue. As mayor of New York, he consistently supported gun control efforts. But lately he has tried to strike a compromise, saying that a "one-size-fits-all" gun control policy wouldn't work and that states and localities should be free to tailor gun regulations to their own needs.

John McCain has also strayed from the party line on gun control, though not as far as Giuliani. He has supported requirements for trigger locks, background checks at gun shows, but has also voted against a five-day waiting period and a ban on certain assault weapons. After yesterday's shootings, McCain reiterated his support of the Second Amendment while stressing the need to keep guns out of the hands of "bad people," according to The Associated Press.

If this issue begins to pop up in the campaign in the near-term, it's an issue that could attract the most attention among Republican candidates as they try to balance their need to demonstrate support for gun ownership without appearing indifferent to such a tragedy.

But Democrats could have more to risk in the long term by advocating too much gun control. Al Gore's inability to convince gun owners on the issue is one of the issues widely seen to have cost him a chance to win close states like West Virginia and Arkansas in 2000. Despite his combat experience, John Kerry struggled to demonstrate a kinship with hunters in 2004. Remember that goose "hunt" in Ohio?

Visit CBSNews.com for breaking news and complete coverage of the Virginia Tech shootings.

It Takes … A Campaign: Romney has taken plenty of heat over the evolution of many of his positions in this campaign. Gun control is but one area where Romney sounds like a much different candidate now than he did when he ran for the U.S. Senate in 1994 or for governor in 2002 — both in Massachusetts. He's had to answer a variety of questions about shifting positions like abortion and gay marriage.

Now, there's this: According to The Associated Press, Romney yesterday took a shot at the title of Hillary Clinton's book, "It Takes A Village." That idea of community is the wrong model to replace a traditional family, said Romney, specifically a family with a mother and father. "I think it's time for us to recognize every child deserves a mother and a father," Romney is quoted as saying. "It takes a family," he added.

But, according to the AP, that's different from what he told the Boston Globe in 1998, where he was quoted saying, in part, "Hillary Clinton is very much right, it does take a village."

Sure, this might be taking the "gotcha" game a little far, but it demonstrates a growing perception about Romney as a candidate with a tendency to take the path of least political resistance depending upon the targeted audience.

Sometimes, You Can't Go Home Again: In something of a shocker, former Sen. John Breaux has put the brakes on what had been an expected run for governor of Louisiana. Breaux said he would not run because he could not get a definitive answer from Louisiana's attorney general about his ability to legally qualify for the ballot. Breaux, who now lives in Maryland, was counting on a preliminary ruling to re-establish his Louisiana residency but the attorney general said the courts must decide that and Breaux opted out.

It's a surprising turn of events. Embattled Gov. Kathleen Blanco last month announced that she would not seek re-election, a move at the time seen to clear the way for her fellow Democrat to jump into the race. With both gone, the advantage clearly shifts to Rep. Bobby Jindal, the Republican front-runner who now has smoother road to the governor's mansion.

Editor's Note: Pure Horserace is a daily update of political news as interpreted by the political observers at CBSNews.com. Click here to sign up for the e-mail version.
By Vaughn Ververs