BRYAN, Texas — Midterm elections are seven weeks away, and with gun control laws being a hot button topic after the tragedy in Uvalde, it's certainly a top issue for voters wanting to make an impact at the polls.
Gun shop owner Bary Burdett runs Burdett & Son Outdoor Adventure Shop shared his thoughts on how the controversy boosts sales.
"Going into the election you never know how it's going to speed up. Usually we do see increases around election time but the holidays also do add into that so sometimes it's hard to differentiate between what's holiday and elections," said Burdett.
After the Uvalde tragedy, California, Florida, Hawaii, Illinois, and Vermont raised the age minimum to 21. Yet, the laxed permit-less carry in the Lone Star state remains at 18.
However, many Uvalde parents are enraged by Governor Greg Abbott's stance on the matter. He claims that more restricted access to firearms is an infringement on constitutional rights.
"It's clear that the gun control law they are seeking in Uvalde, as much as they may want it, has already been ruled to be unconstitutional," Abbott said.
However, this impacts young voters like Salvador Lopez, who explained how there is already a 21 age limit on several items like alcohol and cigarettes.
He believes that purchasing a weapon should be included in that category of restricted items, saying "We have others laws that we have to be 21, I mean to drink, just others things we have to be 21, so why wouldn't we need to be 21 for a gun?"
It's a decision that he believes could've prevented the several lives lost in the tragedy at Uvalde. Furthermore, it's one of the many hot button topics that will be on voter minds come November.