Democrat Phil Murphy says if he becomes New Jersey's next governor he'd sign the gun control bills Governor Christie has vetoed. And he's proposing some additional measures to stem violence.
Murphy says he'd approach neighboring states to talk about coordinating strategies to prevent gun violence.
"We think about 80 percent of the guns involved in crimes in New Jersey come from out of state, so not only to we have to do a better job in our state, we have to engage with our neighbors."
Retired NASA astronaut Mark Kelly founded the anti-gun violence group Americans for Responsible Solutions with his wife Gabby Giffords, the former Congresswoman who was shot in 2011. He says they're endorsing Murphy because he's advancing solutions to make communities safer.
"Somebody is killed with a gun in New Jersey every 18 hours. And New Jersey voters deserve a governor who will protect their second amendment rights but at the same time make New Jersey safer from gun violence."
Murphy wants to mandate safety training for anyone who wants to buy a firearm. He also proposes taxing gun sales to provide more funds for law enforcement, drug treatment centers, and mental health services.