The Dems realized that gun-control was poisen for them, so they shut up about it to get elected. Now that they have control of Congress they can't help themselves. They couldn't even wait a month before trotting out scads of new gun-control schemes. If they keep it up they will lose big in 2008.
The NRA ran a great ad that highlighted Bill Clinton's quotes from his book about how he lost Congress in 1994 due to the assault-weapons ban. Great ad, wish I could find it.
Not necessarily. The most virulent anti-gunner in the House is Carolyn McCarthy (D. NY.) She was elected on a single issue - gun control. So in both left coasts gun control is a winning issue. (Especially in the liberal anus of the country, NYC and surrounds)