Why now? How four senators finally got a gun deal no one thought was possible

The day after a gunman massacred 19 children and two teachers in Uvalde, Texas, Democratic Sen. Kyrsten Sinema of Arizona did something she didn’t usually do. She stopped off the Senate floor and intentionally gaggled with the Washington press corps.

Frustrated by inaction on gun safety legislation in the wake of previous tragedies, she wanted to make it clear this time had to be different. Moments later she marched up to Minority Leader Mitch McConnell of Kentucky and GOP Whip John Thune of South Dakota on the Senate floor and asked them whom in the Republican conference she could negotiate with.

“They said (Republican Sens.)