Beto O’Rourke embraces gun licensing plan he once said could go ‘too far’

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El Paso native Beto O'Rourke reacts to mass shooting

Democratic presidential candidate chokes back tears as he addresses the media; Claudia Cowan reports from Las Vegas.

Democratic presidential candidate Beto O’Rourke on Friday called for gun licensing, banning assault weapons and a mandatory buyback program for certain firearms as the former congressman from Texas unveiled his plan to combat gun violence and white nationalism.

O’Rourke’s buyback proposal – which would fine people who failed to forfeit their banned weapons – appears to go further than what’s being proposed by some of his rivals for the Democratic nomination. The proposal calls for "a voluntary buyback program for handguns and a mandatory buyback program for banned assault weapons." Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand of New York has indicated she supports a similar type of buyback plan.

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O’Rourke is also calling for gun owners to complete firearms safety training and register their weapons. The Democrat also said he would limit licenses to people 21 and older — with exceptions for those under 21 who have hunting licenses.

His embrace of gun licensing is a switch from his previous opposition to such a system.

FLASHBACK: BETO O’ROURKE SAYS CORY BOOKER'S FEDERAL GUN-LICENSE PLAN MAY GO ‘TOO FAR’

After 2020 rival Sen. Cory Booker of New Jersey introduced a plan in May to mandate the federal licensing of all gun owners, O’Rourke told Fox News during a campaign stop in New Hampshire that he didn't "think we need to take the additional step of licensing every single firearm to every single owner. I think that may be too far.”

But last weekend he seemed to change course, telling CNN, "I have listened to my fellow Americans, my fellow Texans, my fellow El Pasoans. This makes sense. It will save lives.”

O’Rourke paused his presidential campaign two weeks ago after the mass shootings in El Paso, his hometown, and Dayton, Ohio. He returned to the campaign trail on Thursday as he delivered a speech accusing President Trump of spurring on acts of racism and violence.