Diana Kastenbaum is running for Congress in New York’s 24th District, backed by Moms Demand Action, and she advocates for a complete ban on semi-automatic firearms.
Semi-automatic firearms are designed to automatically expel the spent cartridge after firing and load a new one, allowing the shooter to fire again with each pull of the trigger. These firearms are most commonly chosen for concealed carry, especially popular among women, as they help minimize recoil and enable easier handling of larger calibers capable of deterring threats.
Among rifles, semi-automatic models like the AR-15 rank as some of the most widely owned in the United States. However, Kastenbaum made it clear during a debate on Tuesday night that she aims to ban such weapons, referring to them as “assault weapons.”
The Batavia Daily News shared a clip from the debate where, in response to a question about the federal “assault weapons” ban from 1994 to 2004, she clearly stated her desire to see it reinstated, asserting, “I am absolutely… against ‘assault weapons.’ I believe they should be banned. The ban needs to be reinstated.”
Additionally, she expressed the need for increased funding for mental health services.
Kastenbaum wandered a bit in her statements, noting, “All the mass shootings, mass shootings that we see are from automatic weapons. They’re from ‘assault rifles.’ I think we need to get them out of town. We need a ban.”
Her primary opponent, Alyssa Ellman, responded by implying that Kastenbaum might not fully grasp the differences between automatic and semi-automatic firearms, suggesting that some progressive views involve banning things without proper understanding.
In reply, Kastenbaum argued that different definitions exist for various types of guns. “Actually, I think ‘assault weapon’ refers to semi-automatic weapons too, and those are the ones used in mass shootings,” she contended.
She added, “I support the Second Amendment, but I am definitely against ‘assault weapons,’ which I believe includes semi-automatics.”
