This evening is the first U.S. Senate debate in Colorado, where voters will hear from gun lobby loyalist Senator Cory Gardner (R-CO) and gun sense champion Governor John Hickenlooper. Moms Demand Action volunteers are available for interviews on the role that gun safety will play in this pivotal race.
Three questions to consider for this evening’s debate:
- Will Senator Gardner explain his inaction on gun safety in the Senate, even though thousands of people in Colorado have been shot and killed during his time in office? Gardner has voted against background checks on all gun sales, the bedrock of common-sense gun violence prevention policy, despite background checks being supported by the vast majority of Coloradans.
- Will Senator Gardner explain why he’s taken millions from special interests like the gun lobby and sides with them over Coloradans? The NRA has spent more than $3.8 million supporting Senator Gardner, more than any other member of Colorado’s congressional delegation, and more than almost any other member of Congress.
- Does Senator Gardner condemn white supremacy or stand with President Trump in his refusal to condemn white supremacists? Senator Gardner has yet to condemn white supremacists after President Donald Trump refused to do so during Tuesday’s debate. Instead, when asked directly “to condemn white supremacists and militia groups and to say that they need to stand down,” President Trump told the Proud Boys –– a group of violent, far-right extremists –– to “stand back and stand by.”
This week, Everytown for Gun Safety Victory Fund launched $1 million in television and digital ads against Gardner, slamming Gardner for siding with Donald Trump amid the coronavirus pandemic, and benefiting from millions of dollars from the gun lobby while voting against common-sense gun safety legislation like background checks on all gun sales.
Senator Gardner’s opponent, Governor John Hickenlooper, has taken on the gun lobby and won. As governor, Hickenlooper signed a law requiring background checks on all gun sales and limiting high-capacity magazines, making Colorado one of the first purple states to enact sweeping gun safety reform. Hickenlooper is running on a common-sense gun safety platform that includes support for federal legislation to require background checks on all gun sales.
A May survey found that political messages focused on COVID-19 and gun violence were among the most effective at shifting voter support in 2020. Another May survey found that the intensity of Americans’ support for common-sense gun safety measures had surged amid the pandemic, with a significant majority of Americans viewing background checks on all gun sales as “more important” now than before the pandemic began.
If you’re interested in speaking with a Moms Demand Action volunteer in Colorado, don’t hesitate to reach out.
