WOODBRIDGE, Va. – In the latest victory for gun safety, Everytown tonight released the following statements in response to voters electing Jeremy McPike to Virginia’s 29th Senate District in the National Rifle Association’s backyard. Everytown made gun safety a key issue in close races in Virginia and made sure voters knew where their candidates stood on the issue. Everytown for Gun Safety Action Fund invested $1.5 million to support McPike via advertisements featuring Andy Parker, available here, sent mailers and rallied Virginians to vote for McPike through thousands of phone calls and door knocks from members of the Virginia chapter of Moms Demand Action for Gun Sense in America and the Everytown Survivor Network, both a part of Everytown for Gun Safety.
STATEMENT FROM JOHN FEINBLATT, PRESIDENT OF EVERYTOWN FOR GUN SAFETY
“Gun safety prevailed on the NRA’s home turf because we made sure that every voter knew where the candidates stood on gun safety. We shined a light on Hal Parrish’s unpopular gun positions and that moved a race that began within the margin of error because of the strength of this issue. It’s just the latest example of how candidates are paying the price for being out of step with Americans who demand that their leaders take action to prevent gun violence.”
STATEMENT FROM ANDY AND BARBARA PARKER, PARENTS OF MURDERED WDBJ-TV REPORTER ALISON PARKER AND MEMBERS OF THE EVERYTOWN SURVIVOR NETWORK
“Along with Everytown for Gun Safety, the Virginia chapter of Moms Demand Action for Gun Sense in America and other gun safety advocates, we rallied behind Jeremy McPike because Jeremy vowed to put the safety of Virginians ahead of the priorities of the gun lobby. Today, we feel proud standing with our fellow Virginians and saying we did in fact do “whatever it takes” and we got Jeremy elected into office. It goes without saying that the fight for gun safety is a marathon, not a sprint. Our work – and the work of millions of Americans – fighting for common-sense gun laws and supporting elected leaders committed to gun sense has only just begun.”
STATEMENT FROM JENNIFER HERRERA, VOLUNTEER CHAPTER LEADER FOR THE VIRGINIA CHAPTER OF MOMS DEMAND ACTION FOR GUN SENSE IN AMERICA
“Getting Jeremy McPike elected into office is a significant win for moms in Virginia. Jeremy’s leadership when it comes to gun safety bolstered his campaign and support for common-sense measures like background checks on all gun sales warranted unwavering support from moms in Virginia. Over the past few weeks, members of the Virginia chapter of Moms Demand Action have been busy meeting with voters face-to-face and making calls to get out the vote. This victory proves that running on gun safety is a winning issue and we’re thrilled to send Jeremy to Richmond.”
Everytown’s winning electoral activity in Virginia this cycle follows previous decisive victories in 2014 that proved that gun safety is a winning issue at the ballot box. Last year’s victories include the passage of I-594, Washington State’s background check ballot initiative, and the victory of more than 80 percent of Everytown’s endorsed candidates. Among them were governors in states that passed background check legislation since Sandy Hook, including Governor Dannel Malloy (CT), Governor Andrew Cuomo (NY) and Governor John Hickenlooper (CO). In the 2013 Virginia elections, candidates for three of the state’s constitutional offices –including Governor Terry McAuliffe – won by making Virginia’s gun laws a campaign issue rather than avoiding it.
Beyond electoral activity, Everytown has also made significant progress on the state-level by passing better gun laws and fighting NRA-backed bills in legislatures across the country. Earlier this year Oregon passed legislation to require criminal background checks on all gun sales and six states – Alabama, Nevada, Oregon, South Carolina, Vermont and Washington – enacted legislation to protect victims of domestic violence by keeping guns out of the hands of their abusers. Everytown also defeated more than 60 gun lobby priority bills including efforts to force guns onto college campuses, and even allow guns in K-12 schools, as well as efforts to let people carry hidden, loaded guns in public without a permit.