Sen. Casey says he would now support gun bills

(Philadelphia) -- Pennsylvania U.S. Sen. Bob Casey says that after the Connecticut school shootings he would now support bills to ban assault weapons and high-capacity ammunition clips.

The Democrat has long opposed new gun laws, but he says the shootings that left 20 children and six adults dead in Newtown, Conn., have haunted him. 

Casey won a second term last month and had touted his opposition to gun control. 

Now, he says that if bills to ban assault weapons and high-capacity ammunition clips come before the Senate, he'll vote for both.

Casey spoke in Washington, D.C., on Wednesday, the same day President Barack Obama backed those two proposals. 

He says his change of heart amounted to being "summoned by your conscience."