LAS VEGAS – When told he’d be able to ask one question at the 2020 Presidential Gun Safety Forum, Matthew DeFalco didn’t take long to write it up.

“Mayor Buttigieg, what do you think we can do to reduce the amount of Americans taking their lives with a gun?” he said. 

DeFalco came to the 2020 Presidential Gun Safety Forum ready to contribute – feeling he has a lot to say as he has a lot of experience with guns. 

“As a veteran who fought for this country, this isn’t what we fought for. You put yourself on the line and sacrificed so your own country can have a sense of safety and security. We don’t have that. You’re nervous to let your kid go to school. You’re looking for the exit at movie theater. You’re holding events two years later to honor 58 people killed at a country concert. What’s happening is out of control,” he said. 

To gain control, he’s looking for a transformation of leadership. He’s an active Democrat. 

“I’m going to vote for someone who isn’t Donald Trump but I’m not sure who yet,” he said. 

This MSNBS forum matters a lot to him – looking and listening to which of the 10 leading Democratic presidential candidates has a more promising pathway to a less violent America.

DeFalco graduated UNLV and joined the army in 2008. When he came back he got a degree on the GI Bill, working for Nevadans For Background Checks in 2016.

Now, he wants even more change in our country. 

“It’s not about taking guns out of responsible gun owners like myself. The only way to stop bad guys with guns is stop giving guns to the bad guys,” he said. 

We caught up with DeFalco halfway through the event at lunch, to see how he thought Mayor Buttigieg answered his question – and how the rest of the candidates are doing. 

“I was very encouraged by what Mayor Pete said to answer my questions," he said. 

But he isn’t totally on board with Mayor Pete just yet.  

“There are candidates I am leaning for after this forum," he said. 

Do you want to say who, we asked?

"Well, no," he said through laughs. 

He has about 400 days to figure it out.