Moms Demand Action for Gun Sense in America announced today that they will endorse Democratic nominee Terry McAuliffe in the upcoming election for Governor of Virginia. Moms Demand Action, a non-partisan grassroots organization that seeks to educate the public and lobby for stronger gun laws, feels McAuliffe is the best candidate to address the issue of our country’s current gun violence epidemic, which kills a child or teen in the US every 3 hours and 15 minutes.
“We are a non-partisan group and will support candidates who support gun sense,” said Gena Reeder, the group’s Virginia Chapter Leader. “It is in the best interest of Virginia families to have a candidate in office that is willing to put the gun lobby’s agenda aside and put the safety of our children and communities first.”
The Law Center to Prevent Gun Violence, a non-profit group that evaluates the strength of federal and state gun laws, gives Virginia a “D” rating when it comes to protecting its communities from gun violence. Virginia’s repeal of one-gun-per-month, the lack of reporting of large quantity sales of ammunition, and open gun show loopholes are among the reasons. Virginia is also one of the nation’s top exporters of crime guns.
“As a gun-owner Terry McAuliffe understands that promoting safety and supporting the constitution are not ideologically separate,” said Reeder. “Ninety-two percent of Virginians support background checks. Ken Cuccinelli, McAuliffe’s opponent, does not. The choice for voting moms in Virginia is clear.”