Newtown shooting killed 20 elementary students , jolted the nation . `` Our job is to continue to apply persuasion and pressure , '' said Mark Glaze , executive director of Mayors Against Illegal Guns , a group backed by outgoing New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg , who has spent millions backing gun-control candidates . Obama pursued tougher gun control measure , which stalled in the Senate . He then pushed for a compromise bill that would have expanded background checks to cover all firearms purchases and banned assault weapons like those used by Adam Lanza. Recall of legislators in Colorado , midterm elections color issue in 2014 .
Newtown shooting killed 20 elementary students , jolted the nation . Obama pursued tougher gun control measure , which stalled in the Senate . He then pushed for a compromise bill that would have expanded background checks to cover all firearms purchases and banned assault weapons like those used by Adam Lanza. Recall of legislators in Colorado , midterm elections color issue in 2014 .