2014 Election Marks Turning Point on Gun Safety Issues; Moms Turn Out Voters To Support Governor Hickenlooper, Retake Last Year’s Recall Seats
In pivotal races across Colorado yesterday, voters elected gun sense champions into office who have vowed to support common sense laws like background checks on all gun sales. Colorado’s background checks law has already prevented hundreds of gun sales to dangerous people and will continue to save lives in the state by keeping guns out of the wrong hands. In spite of the gun lobby’s best effort, Governor Hickenlooper was reelected and voters in southern Colorado gave the boot to extremist legislators who won last year’s low-turnout recall elections.
“This is a victory for Colorado’s common sense gun laws. Colorado voters gave the boot to extremist legislators who won last year’s recall elections and instead, voters re-elected gun sense champions like Governor Hickenlooper,” said Jennifer Hope, Chapter Lead, Colorado Moms Demand Action for Gun Sense in America. “Colorado Moms Demand Action turned out gun sense voters across the state and showed the gun lobby they are no match for our network of dedicated moms who care about the safety of their families and communities.”
“The gun lobby bet the farm on Colorado and voters rejected their extreme, out-of-touch agenda to repeal common sense gun safety measures like background checks on all gun sales,” said Tom Sullivan, father of Alex Sullivan who was killed on his 27th birthday in the Aurora Theater shooting. “As someone who lives with the tragic impact of gun violence every day, I’m proud of my state for standing up to the gun lobby and putting the safety of our communities and families first.”
Throughout the spring, summer and fall, Moms strategically invested in grassroots organizing, direct mail from the voices of gun violence survivors, and opened a field office in Jefferson County to identify Gun Sense Voters and turn them out to vote. Moms Demand Action launched this unprecedented effort to educate and mobilize gun sense voters in Colorado and hold candidates accountable who vowed to repeal the 2013 background check law.
About Everytown for Gun Safety
Everytown is the largest gun violence prevention organization in the country with more than 2.5 million supporters and more than 40,000 donors including moms, mayors, survivors, and everyday Americans who are fighting for public safety measures that respect the Second Amendment and help save lives. At the core of Everytown are Mayors Against Illegal Guns and Moms Demand Action for Gun Sense in America, a grassroots movement of American mothers founded the day after the Sandy Hook tragedy. Learn more at www.everytown.org and follow us @Everytown
About Moms Demand Action for Gun Sense in America
Moms Demand Action for Gun Sense in America is a grassroots movement of American mothers fighting for public safety measures that respect the Second Amendment and protect people from gun violence. Moms Demand Action campaigns for new and stronger solutions to lax gun laws and loopholes that jeopardize the safety of our children and families. Since its inception after the tragedy at Sandy Hook Elementary School, Moms Demand Action has established a chapter in every state of the country and along with Mayors Against Illegal Guns is part of Everytown for Gun Safety, the largest gun violence prevention organization in the country with more than 2.5 million members and more than 40,000 donors. For more information or to get involved visit www.momsdemandaction.org. Follow us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/MomsDemandAction or on Twitter at @MomsDemand