The nurse and housewife who went to Washington after her husband was killed and her son wounded in a notorious mass shooting says she is pleased with her legacy as a nine-term New York congresswoman.
Carolyn McCarthy won her first election in 1996 on a platform to stem gun violence. She knew the issue all too well because of her personal connection to the 1993 Long Island Rail Road massacre.
The now well-seasoned politician argues her tenure in Washington has been worthwhile even though the last two decades have seen a number of other high-profile mass shootings.
She said despite a lack of legislative success to stem gun violence, she has strived to keep the issue in the national conversation.
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