When Supreme Court Justice Anthony Kennedy announced his retirement in June, Avery Gardiner began saying “No, no, no” at her desk so loudly that she interrupted a meeting in a conference room next door.

The co-president of the Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence knew then that Kennedy, who has historically been a swing vote for the Court — occasionally siding with liberals on a few key cases — would likely be replaced by a more consistent and stalwart conservative. Although Kennedy joined with the conservative majority on pro-gun rights decisions, the Court has passed up every opportunity to hear a Second Amendment case since 2010. Gardiner and other liberals worry that could change without Kennedy’s moderating presence on the court.

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