Several City Council Candidates Also Receive Distinction
BOSTON – Today, Everytown for Gun Safety and its grassroots networks, Moms Demand Action and Students Demand Action, announced the candidates running for local office in Boston that have been awarded the Moms Demand Action Gun Sense Candidate distinction. Mayoral candidates Andrea Campbell, Acting Mayor Kim Janey, and City Councilor Michelle Wu have received the distinction, as have City Council candidates David Halbert (At-Large), Ruthzee Louijeune (At-Large), City Councilor Julia Mejia (At-Large), Evandro Carvalho (District 4), Deeqo Jibril (District 4), Leonard Lee (District 4), and Joel Richards (District 4). The candidates are running in the September 14 preliminary/primary election. Voters are able to view a list of candidates by visiting GunSenseVoter.org.
“Everytown traces its roots back to Mayors Against Illegal Guns, an organization co-founded by former Boston Mayor Tom Menino, so it’s gratifying to see so many gun sense champions running to lead his beloved city,” said John Feinblatt, president of Everytown for Gun Safety. “These candidates know two things: Bostonians want a mayor who will make gun safety a priority, and Moms Demand Action volunteers will go all-out to elect gun sense champions up and down the ballot on November 2nd.”
“As we award these Gun Sense Candidate distinctions, we’re letting candidates know that if you have our backs, we’ll have yours,” said Shannon Watts, founder of Moms Demand Action. “Moms Demand Action volunteers helped elect gun sense majorities in Massachusetts which have resulted in groundbreaking successes on gun safety, and we will build on this work by continuing to elect Gun Sense Candidates at every level of the ballot.”
The Gun Sense Candidate distinction is a signal to Everytown and Moms Demand Action’s over six million supporters, volunteers, and voters across the country that a candidate will govern with gun safety in mind. The Gun Sense Candidate distinction is not an endorsement from Everytown for Gun Safety Action Fund, or its volunteer networks Moms Demand Action and Students Demand Action. Receiving the Moms Demand Action Gun Sense Candidate distinction is a prerequisite for being considered for endorsement.
The Gun Sense Candidate program began in 2018, when the program recognized over 3,000 candidates running for office. In 2020, the program again recognized more than 3,000 candidates, including candidates in 49 states and Washington, DC and for offices from President to State Legislature. Of the gun sense candidates who ran during the general election, nearly 60% won their races—resulting in a federal gun sense trifecta between the White House, the U.S. House, and the U.S. Senate.
More on gun violence in Massachusetts:
- In Massachusetts each year, on average, 244 people die by guns, and 688 people are shot and wounded.
- Black people in Massachusetts are 15 times more likely to die by gun homicide than white people.
- Gun violence costs Massachusetts $1.8 billion each year, of which $92.2 million is paid by taxpayers.
Additional statistics about gun violence in Massachusetts are available here.
