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Everytown Launches New Digital Ad Slamming Arizona Republicans for Refusing to Disarm Domestic Abusers

June 1, 2020

Ad Represents First Spend by Everytown Since Launch of “Gun Sense Majority: Arizona” — a $5 Million Electoral Initiative to Elect Gun Sense Candidates Up and Down the Ballot in Arizona in 2020

Ad Holds Lawmakers Accountable for Ignoring Arizonans’ Calls For Legislation to Protect Women and Families From Domestic Violence

PHOENIX— Today, Everytown for Gun Safety Action Fund unveiled a new digital ad, “Refused to Act: Arizona,” which slams the Republican-controlled legislature for refusing to act on gun safety during the 2020 legislative session. The ad comes on the heels of Everytown’s announcement of “Gun Sense Majority: Arizona” –– a $5 million electoral initiative to elect gun sense candidates up and down the ballot in 2020.

“As a result of the pandemic, untold numbers of domestic abuse victims have been trapped at home,” said John Feinblatt, president of Everytown for Gun Safety. “And yet Arizona’s Republican-controlled legislature has done absolutely nothing to disarm abusers. Arizonans are demanding action on gun safety, and on Election Day they will bring those demands to the voting booth.”

“Arizona lawmakers were put on notice — and they continued to ignore their constituents,” said Kara Waite, a volunteer leader with the Arizona chapter of Moms Demand Action, a part of Everytown for Gun Safety. “This ad shows that we have not forgotten the lives that were taken by domestic violence or lawmakers’ inaction over the past years. Come November,  these legislators will learn from their fatal mistakes.” 

More than 1,000 people are killed by guns in Arizona every year. Everytown, Moms Demand Action, and Students Demand Action volunteers have called on the legislature to act by passing gun safety measures, including legislation that would keep guns out of the hands of domestic abusers. Voters have demanded the Arizona state legislature pass common sense gun safety measures this year, like a law disarming violent domestic abusers. Instead, Republican leaders refused, putting women and families at risk. 

The digital campaign announcement is part of Everytown for Gun Safety Action Fund and Victory Fund’s investment of at least $60 million on the 2020 elections. 

VIEW THE AD, “REFUSED TO ACT: ARIZONA,” HERE.

The ad text reads:

Voters demanded the AZ legislature disarm domestic abusers & protect families.

But Republican leaders in Phoenix refused.

Pledge to vote out lawmakers who oppose gun safety. Sign the pledge.

A sample Facebook post headline accompanying the ad will read:

Arizona Republican Legislators: Failed On Domestic Violence & Gun Safety

The ads will click through to a landing page, which asks Arizonans to sign a pledge to vote with gun safety in mind.

Earlier this year, Everytown voter research found that voters in Arizona support stronger gun safety laws by a 8:1 margin and 75% of voters, including 89% of voters who support blocking domestic abusers from owning guns, consider a candidate’s position on guns “very important” to their vote in 2020.

Additional key findings include:

  • By a more than eight-to-one margin, Arizonans want stronger versus weaker gun laws (50% stronger/6% less strong).
  • Overwhelming majorities of voters support specific gun violence prevention policies, including blocking domestic abusers from owning guns (89%) and requiring background checks on all gun sales (85%).
  • The majority of Arizona voters; including, 58% of independent voters, 50% of Republican women, and 59% of Maricopa County voters say they would never vote for a candidate who opposes background checks on all gun sales.

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