Wisconsin Sen. Tammy Baldwin, a supporter of gun control for a decade in the House, has shied away from talk of a proposed ban on assault weapons, disappointing some gun control advocates.
The liberal Democrat's cautious path shows the altered thought process of a new senator now representing one of the nation's most politically balanced states--one with a strong hunting tradition--rather than just one of its most left-leaning congressional districts.
It also illuminates the rocky road ahead for the provision in the Senate.
Six Democratic senators from Baldwin's neighboring states have either declared as co-sponsors or supporters of the ban. But Baldwin has stressed the broader support for gun control measures based on expanded background checks.
| Approve: | 49.0% |
| Disapprove: | 46.5% |
| Spread: | +2.5% |
| Republican: | 39.0% |
| Democrat: | 42.3% |
| Spread: | +3.3% |
| Right Direction: | 32.5% |
| Wrong Track: | 59.0% |
| Spread: | -26.5% |
| Approve: | 16.6% |
| Disapprove: | 75.8% |
| Spread: | -59.2% |
