Rep. Newman, a Moms Demand Action Volunteer, is a Proven Gun Sense Champion In Public Office
NEW YORK – Today, Everytown for Gun Safety Action Fund made its first endorsement of the 2022 elections for Congresswoman Marie Newman in Illinois’s 6th Congressional District. Congresswoman Newman is a former Moms Demand Action volunteer and has been a tireless champion for gun violence prevention during her time in Congress.
“The gun safety movement has grown into a national force because volunteers like Representative Marie Newman are willing to do whatever it takes to keep their communities safe, including leading the fight on Capitol Hill,” said John Feinblatt, president of Everytown for Gun Safety. “Representative Newman can count on the support of Everytown, just as we have counted on her unflinching leadership when it comes to advancing life-saving laws.”
“Representative Newman started her gun safety advocacy as a Moms Demand Action volunteer and in office has shown America what it means to lead on gun safety,” said Shannon Watts, founder of Moms Demand Action. “Over the past nine years, Moms Demand Action volunteers have become a force to be reckoned with. From school boards to statehouses to the halls of Congress, they’ve shown they’ll do whatever it takes to keep their families and communities safe from gun violence.”
Rep. Newman pushed gun violence prevention to the forefront, ensuring the House passed H.R. 8, which would require background checks on all gun sales, H.R. 1446, which would address the “Charleston Loophole,” and the reauthorization of the Violence Against Women Act to close the dating partner loophole.
The endorsement means that in addition to financial support, Rep. Newman will have a grassroots army of Moms Demand Action volunteers supporting her, knocking on doors, making calls and talking with their friends, families and neighbors. Everytown for Gun Safety and Moms Demand Action have over eight million supporters nationwide in the movement to end gun violence and save lives.
Since 2017, hundreds of Moms Demand Action volunteer leaders have run for elected office and dozens have won seats – from town council and school board to U.S. Congress. In 2020, forty-three Moms Demand Action volunteers ran for office and won their races, including Rep. Newman.
Last year, Everytown for Gun Safety Victory Fund launched “Demand a Seat,” a new program that trains volunteers and gun violence survivors to run for office and work on campaigns. The program will invest $3 million in educational training and mentorship opportunities for grassroots volunteers considering campaigns at the local, state, and federal levels. Since the launch of the program, more than 100 volunteers and gun violence survivors have participated in the Demand a Seat program. More information on Demand a Seat can be found here.
