On June 8, 2021, Virginians will have a chance to vote for their next Democratic nominee for governor.

Gun safety will be a priority in this election, and we sat down with some of the gubernatorial candidates for the Democratic nomination to hear about their plans to keep Virginians safe.

In 2019, Virginians voted Democratic majorities into both the House of Delegates and the State Senate, and gun violence prevention was top priority. Since then, the Commonwealth has made a great deal of progress, implementing universal background checks, authorizing extreme risk protection orders, and restoring a limit on handgun purchases to one per month to name a few. But we are far from done, and we must elect a Gun Safety Governor in 2021 to keep building on this momentum to make Virginia a model for the rest of the country. 

MEDIA REQUESTS

Our experts can speak to the full spectrum of gun violence prevention issues. Have a question? Email us at media@giffords.org.

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RESOURCES

Learn more about the state of Virginia’s gun laws and the steps it can take to save lives from gun violence.

State 

Virginia

In 2021, Virginia enacted a strong package of strong gun safety laws, but there remains much more the state should do to protect its communities from gun violence.

Gun Law Scorecard Grade: B

The Candidates on Gun Safety

Jennifer Carroll Foy

Jennifer Carroll Foy is a former public defender and delegate who represented parts of Stafford and Prince William Counties. 

Terry McAuliffe

Terry McAuliffe has been the chair of multiple presidential campaigns, as well as the Democratic National Committee, and was the 72nd Governor of Virginia. Learn about Terry McAuliffe’s plan for gun safety. 

Jennifer McClellan

Jennifer McClellan is a state senator representing the greater Richmond area and both a former delegate and vice chair of the Democratic Party of Virginia. 

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