LONG BEACH, Calif. –  Being skilled in politics is a craft. In the case of Lara Horgan it starts with arts and crafts. She’s creating earrings in support of her candidate Amy Klobuchar in the exhibit hall of the California Democratic Party Convention.

She’s doing it with a heavy heart through after the school shooting in her own backyard at Saugus High School.

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“Sometimes it makes me angry and sometimes it makes me feel so defeated,” Horgan said.

“I work so hard to have an influence on this country yet after years of work, still we can’t get sensible gun legislation passed and keep our children safe.”

This one hits close to home for Horgan. Her nephew and niece both attend elementary school in Santa Clarita. 

“When she goes to high school, that’s the high school that she’ll go to, so I can’t help but think that will be her someday that is running from a gunman,” she added.

For years, she was an independent. But after the election of President Trump she became a Democrat and jumped right into volunteer political service.

“The night that he won I was in shock. I was devastated. I felt like everything that I’ve learned about the United States of America was no longer true,” she said.

“I cried all night, and then the next morning after the election I said to a friend that’s it, 'I’m gonna become an activist.'”

Since then she’s been hardcore trying to gain support in Orange County. She’s even hosted a political fundraiser for Klobuchar at her home in Laguna Niguel. She believes Klobuchar is the one to finally get strong gun legislation passed in America

“Because she’s able to work with both sides. She’s worked with Republicans on all kinds of issues, I think she’s best positioned to actually get something done,” Horgan said.

For now though, Horgan is doing her part to help give her candidate a chance to get elected and make the change she seeks.