A nearly 15-hour filibuster to push a vote on gun control legislation quickly elevated U.S. Sen. Chris Murphy's national profile and cemented his place as a leader in the Democratic movement for stricter gun laws following the mass shooting at an Orlando club.

Murphy shut down the Senate last week, the latest push the Connecticut delegation has made for gun control since 20 children and six educators were shot dead at the Sandy Hook School in Newtown.

The national attention the filibuster drew "certainly raises the profile of the freshman senator" and "will help him greatly with key Democratic constituencies," said Ronald Schurin, a professor of political science at the University of Connecticut.

Murphy's office said he received more than 10,000 calls, mostly supportive, and the Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence, whose president called Murphy "a true hero for our cause" said its members poured in 120,000 calls to Senate offices while Murphy held the floor.

"I'm blown away by the public reaction to the filibuster," Murphy said Thursday morning, running on a few hours of sleep and heading to a press conference with family members of mass-shooting victims. "I woke up on Monday morning knowing in my gut that I couldn't allow for business as usual to proceed in the Senate. I knew I had to do something."

The 14 hours and 50 minutes he spent on the floor gave many people their first extended look at Murphy, who at 42 is the third-youngest member of the U.S. Senate and the youngest Democrat. He has had a quick rise through the political ranks — elected to the state House at 25, the state Senate at 29 and defeating a 12-term incumbent to join the U.S. House when he was 33.

Hours after he left the Senate Thursday morning, Murphy made numerous national television appearances to discuss the two areas where Democrats forced a vote: banning people on government terrorism watch lists from buying guns and expanding background checks.

Murphy took a short break to attend an end-of-the-year celebration at his son's elementary school. He directly addressed Owen, 8, from the floor of the Senate at one point during the filibuster, when his family arrived to watch.

The exchange was widely shared on social media and cited in news articles. But perhaps the most attention was focused on Murphy's closing statement, when he talked about Dylan Hockley, one of the 20 first-graders slain at Sandy Hook School. Dylan, 6, died in the arms of Anne Marie Murphy, his special-education aide who was among the six educators shot and killed that day.

"It doesn't take courage to stand here on the floor of the United States Senate [for hours]. ... It takes courage to look into the eye of a shooter and. instead of running, wrapping your arms around a 6-year-old boy and accepting death as a trade for just a tiny little, itty piece of increased peace of mind for a little boy under your charge," Murphy said.

The votes are expected Monday. Democrats are seeking a revote on a terror watch list measure that failed six months ago. Republicans will offer an alternative that would allow the government to delay a gun sale to a suspected terrorist for 72 hours, but require prosecutors to go to court to show probable cause to block the sale permanently.

Dueling background check bills also are expected to go to votes. None of the measures are expected to pass, but Murphy encouraged people through TV and social media to call their senators and ask them to vote in favor of the legislation.

Sen. Susan Collins, a moderate Republican from Maine, was working to craft bipartisan legislation that would have a better chance of passage. Her bill would prevent people on the no-fly list — a smaller number than targeted by Democrats — from getting guns. But GOP leaders had not endorsed her proposal and it was unclear if it would be voted upon.

Sandy Hook

In the eyes of the Sandy Hook parents and the advocacy groups that sprang up after that tragedy, Murphy has been a strong supporter of gun control for years. Po Murray, chairman of the Newtown Action Alliance, said she stayed up until 1 a.m. watching Murphy's filibuster, eventually going to bed about 45 minutes before he announced a deal was struck to hold the votes.

Murphy and his Connecticut colleagues often talk about being at the Sandy Hook firehouse the day of the shooting. That was where family members gathered to hear the unimaginable: that their children would never be coming home.

Mark Barden lost his 7-year-old son Daniel in the December 2012 massacre. He turned his grief into action, co-founding Sandy Hook Promise, a gun-violence prevention group. The night of the filibuster the organization was hosting a fundraiser in Washington.

"They had to excuse themselves to take care of business … which was so appropriate," Barden said of Murphy and Blumenthal, who had planned to attend.

"I think what Sen. Murphy did was heartbreaking, compelling and appropriate," he continued, reflecting on the end of Murphy's speech, where he told the story of Dylan Hockley, standing in front of a photograph of the young boy. "I hope to God it reaches people in a way that causes action."

Vice President Joe Biden spoke at the fundraiser, and was met with cheers when he talked about the filibuster going on nearby.

Schurin, the UConn professor, said Murphy has credibility on the issue "because he had it thrust upon him right upon his election in 2012." In 2013, in his first year in office, Murphy worked to gain support for a bipartisan effort to expand gun background checks that ultimately failed.

"[Murphy] does not come across as someone simply opportunistically grabbing an issue that is popular with the base."

Social Media

Late Wednesday #filibuster and #holdthefloor were both trending on Twitter. Murphy got tweets of encouragement from politicians including the governor, other senators and the presumptive Democratic presidential nominee, Hillary Clinton.

"Thanks Chris, for showing what leadership looks like," Clinton said in a message that indicated it came from the candidate herself. The Clinton campaign capitalized on Murphy's filibuster by sending a fundraising email Thursday signed by the senator.

Murphy's name was floated last month in USA Today as a possible vice presidential pick for Clinton, and her support this week revived some of those rumblings. Murphy isn't considered to be a favorite for the post, but some of his supporters online are now talking about 2024, when they hope Clinton would be wrapping up her second term as president and when they'd like to see Murphy, and perhaps Sen. Cory Booker, D-N.J., in the White House.

But the filibuster drew an audience beyond politicians and Washington insiders, becoming one of the most-talked about stories on the web. Influential entertainers also sent messages of support to Murphy, including comedian and actress Amy Schumer, a relative of Sen. Charles Schumer, D-N.Y., who joined Murphy's filibuster, along with Debra Messing, Kathy Griffin, Nick Offerman and John Legend.

Sen. Richard Blumenthal, D-Conn., who along with Booker remained for the duration, said he received many encouraging texts and emails. He called the outpouring of support "unlike any response I've seen on any issue."

"I think it indicates that we have in fact reached a tipping point where people are really ready for action and in fact demanding action across the country and certainly in Connecticut," Blumenthal said.

Nick Balletto, chairman of the state Democratic Party, said his favorite movie is "Mr. Smith Goes To Washington," the story of an idealistic young man appointed to the Senate who launches a filibuster of his own.

"It was like 'Mr. Murphy Goes To Washington,'" Balletto said. "He made every Connecticut Democrat proud."

Action in the House

Connecticut's delegation has taken on gun violence in the U.S. House, too. Though rules don't permit a tactic like Murphy's filibuster, Rep. Jim Himes made waves when he and some Democratic colleagues, including Reps. Joe Courtney and John Larson walked off the floor of the House during a moment of silence for the 49 men and women who were slain in an Orlando nightclub.

"I will no longer stand here absorbing the faux concern, contrived gravity and tepid smugness of a House complicit in the weekly bloodshed," Himes told his colleagues.

Rep. Elizabeth Esty co-sponsored legislation that would require the FBI to be notified when people who were previously under investigation for terrorism purchase firearms or explosives. Omar Mateen, the gunman in the Orlando nightclub shooting, had twice been investigated by the FBI, and was on a terror watch list for a time, but ultimately was removed.

Donald Trump, the presumptive Republican nominee, has signaled support for some legislation to bar people on watch lists from purchasing firearms. The National Rifle Association has also said it supports a version of a legislation Murphy fought for. Esty said those are signs that the powerful lobbying group's influence is slipping.

"I think the American people are saying it's time for Congress to protect the American people and not the NRA," she said.

Gov. Dannel P. Malloy, who helped enact strict gun laws in Connecticut after Newtown, was asked what he thought of the delegation's efforts in Washington.

"Right on," he told reporters. "I think this has got to be engaged in on an active basis by all politicians of goodwill."