Three thousand participating volunteers + more than 250 canvasses + nearly 50 phone banks = a whole lot of grassroots electoral muscle.
Over the weekend, gun violence survivors and volunteers with Moms Demand Action for Gun Sense in America put on their sneakers and fired up their cell phones for Everytown for Gun Safety Action Fund’s first Weekend of Action in advance of the midterm elections. They flexed their grassroots muscle in support of gun sense candidates in 41 states who have vowed to support strong gun safety laws if elected into office.
Volunteers showed up in areas from the 10th Congressional District of Virginia, where Jennifer Wexton seeks to unseat NRA A-rated Congresswoman Barbara Comstock, to the 6th Congressional District in Colorado where Jason Crow is taking on Congressman Mike Coffman, who has received more NRA PAC money than anyone in the Colorado congressional delegation.
Moms Demand Action Founder Shannon Watts with Virginia volunteers.
Everytown for Gun Safety and Moms Demand Action are all in on electing a gun sense majority in 2018. And volunteers are fired up to elect gun sense candidates in Congress and in the states, where leaders are stepping up to act when Congress fails to lead.
2018 is the year candidates are running on gun safety to win elections. Gun safety used to be the third rail of politics — now, candidates are running on their gun safety credentials, because they know voters are with them.
Already this year, Moms Demand Action volunteers and gun violence survivors have insisted candidates stand on the right side of this issue. Volunteers asked campaigns to fill out a questionnaire about gun safety, and those candidates who stand with the vast majority of Americans who support common-sense gun laws have received the Moms Demand Action Gun Sense Candidate distinction. The distinction lets voters know these candidates will stand up for gun safety if elected into office.
Canvassing in Florida.
We started this program as an experiment, expecting a few hundred. To date, over 3,000 candidates have sought and received the Moms Demand Action Gun Sense Candidate distinction in 48 states ― red, blue and purple. The distinction is being used by candidates in their campaign materials ― in radio and TV ads, on social media and mail pieces, and more.
And we are just getting started. Everytown’s next Weekend of Action is Oct. 13 and 14. To learn more about Everytown for Gun Safety Action Fund and Moms Demand Action’s grassroots electoral efforts, don’t hesitate to reach out.
Volunteers in Colorado.