Supporters of gun control laws outnumber critics of such laws, but only marginally. Gun rights supporters have far more intensity though, and that translates into a solid edge in political contests. In other words, these are the people that actually show up to fight.

That was the finding of an analysis the Pew Research Center posted Wednesday. The data helps to explain a hard-fought Colorado recall election that resulted in two Democratic state lawmakers, who voted for gun control measures, losing their seats. The recall suggests that any momentum for gun control in the wake of the Newtown tragedy has faded away.