"Compromise, but don't give away the store, " said Teresa Malley, a 62-year-old retired sales manager from Buckingham, Pa.

WSJ: Obama Lashes Out at Critics in His Base

Another good set of candidates are savers who have received substantial tax refunds in the past few years and are looking for a way to put those refunds to work, says Michael Schwartz, a wealth manager in Jenkintown, Pa.

WSJ: Family Value: Is It Time to Convert

"You can't do a background check if a guy doesn't have a gun to buy, " said Mike Fotia, manager at Duke's Sport Shop in New Castle, Pa.

NPR: Gun Background Checks Drop By 10 Percent In Jan.