A few months after a mass shooting at a Florida high school reignited a nationwide debate over gun control, Georgia Republicans have aggressively moved in the opposite direction.

One GOP candidate for governor aired an ad showing him pointing a shotgun toward his daughter’s suitor, and he has also called for a sales tax holiday for guns and ammunition over the July Fourth holiday.

Another contender, a military veteran, was branded a traitor for suggesting raising minimum age limits. A leading candidate for Georgia’s No. 2 job challenged his top rival to a shootout.

The tighter embrace of firearms by GOP candidates comes as Democrats intensify calls for gun control, and polls show an increasing number of conservatives favor tightening firearms laws. But Republicans seeking primary votes from staunch conservatives in the May 22 race say their voters are demanding strong pro-gun stances.

More: Georgia Republicans shift to right on guns

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In addition to being a political and religious leader, Bishop Reginald Jackson also served as chairman of the Board of Trustees of Morris Brown College. (Ben Gray/AJC)

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Atlanta art and antiques appraiser and auctioneer Allan Baitcher (right) takes bids during a 2020 auction. Baitcher and his company, Peachtree Antiques, are being sued by a Florida multimillionaire who says he paid them $20 million for fakes. (AJC 2020)

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