The Letter Is Written By Susan Browder, A Survivor Of Gun Violence Whose Daughter was Shot and Killed by her Abusive Husband
Polling Shows North Carolinians Overwhelmingly Support Gun Safety Laws
RALEIGH, N.C. – Today, Everytown for Gun Safety Victory Fund unveiled a new direct mail piece in the form of a personal letter penned by Susan Browder, a survivor of gun violence and volunteer with North Carolina Moms Demand Action, part of Everytown’s grassroots network. In the letter, Browder urges voters to oppose Republicans for the North Carolina General Assembly who oppose common-sense gun safety measures, after yet another year of inaction on gun violence. Everytown Victory Fund will spend nearly $120,000 to send the mailer to voters in the following districts:
STATE HOUSE TARGETS: HD-01; HD-09; HD-20; HD-45; HD-59; HD-63; HD-74; HD-82; HD-83; HD-98
STATE SENATE TARGETS: SD-01; SD-11; SD-24; SD-31
Read the full letter HERE.
Susan’s daughter, Sarah, was shot and killed by an abusive husband who had easy access to guns. Susan writes, “When Sarah decided it was time to leave, and he felt his power over her wrenched away, he put a bullet through her spine and another through her shoulder.” Lawmakers in North Carolina have stood in the way of legislation like red flag laws, which would keep guns away from people who pose a threat to themselves or others – like the man who killed Sarah.
“When survivors of gun violence tell their stories, voters understand the urgency of electing gun sense candidates at every level of the ballot,” said Charlie Kelly, senior political advisor at Everytown for Gun Safety Victory Fund. “With this mail campaign, we’re engaging in a personal conversation with voters right in their homes, and drawing a direct line between their state legislature’s inaction on gun violence and the pain and suffering it has caused.”
“I’m tired of watching politicians in the state legislature prioritize their gun lobby donors over our families,” said Susan Browder. “Now, it’s time to vote them out, and elect people who will fight to keep us safe.”
Last month, Everytown for Gun Safety Action Fund launched more than $1.6 million in digital ads and direct mail in order to elect a gun sense majority to the North Carolina General Assembly. As part of the effort, Everytown Action Fund announced spending roughly $750,000 to run digital video, radio and static ads, and roughly $900,000 to send candidate-specific direct mailers to voters in more than a dozen State House and Senate districts. Today’s announcement is in addition to the previously announced spending. The digital ads and direct mailers primarily highlight the failures of Republicans in the state legislature to address gun violence, and fight for the health and economic security of North Carolina families.
Polling regularly finds that the vast majority of voters in North Carolina support common-sense gun safety laws.
- 91% of voters support background checks on all gun sales, including 95% of suburban women, while 84% overall support red flags laws, including 91% of suburban women.
- 64% of voters say they would never vote for a candidate who doesn’t support background checks on all gun sales, and it was the TOP issue among independents by a two-point margin.
- Voters broadly agree that it is possible to keep guns out of the hands of people who should not have them while also protecting the rights of gun owners by a near 2:1 margin (65% possible/35% not possible).
