Americans for Responsible Solutions PAC Endorses John Carney for Delaware Governor
October 28, 2016 — Americans for Responsible Solutions PAC (ARS PAC) – the gun violence prevention organization founded by former Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords and retired NASA astronaut Captain Mark Kelly – today announced its endorsement of John Carney for Governor. Citing his support for a broad set of responsible gun violence prevention policies that help keep guns out of the wrong hands and protect the rights of law-abiding Americans, ARS PAC declared John Carney its Delaware Champion for the Vocal Majority.
The endorsement is part of ARS PAC’s “Vocal Majority” campaign this fall to mobilize millions of Americans to make the 2016 election a referendum on gun violence prevention and to support leaders up and down the ballot who are committed to taking responsible steps that reduce gun violence. ARS PAC previously announced endorsements this year in races for the United States Senate, United States House of Representatives, state legislatures, and gubernatorial races and plans to make additional endorsements of candidates this fall.
“John Carney knows that with our right to own guns comes the responsibility of keeping guns out of the hands of felons, domestic abusers, and other dangerous people. We are proud to support John Carney, a leader who has stood up to the Washington gun lobby in Congress and stood up for bipartisan change that will help prevent gun tragedies. We look forward to having John Carney as a champion for the vocal majority of Americans who are calling on their elected leaders to do more to protect their rights, reduce gun violence, and make our communities safer,” said former Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords and Navy combat veteran Captain Mark Kelly, the Co-Founders of the gun violence prevention organization Americans for Responsible Solutions PAC.
“I am grateful to have the support of Congresswoman Giffords and Captain Kelly. These two public servants have dedicated themselves to championing gun violence prevention, and I’m proud to stand by them. I will continue working with them to reduce the gun violence in our communities, our state, and our country,” said Congressman John Carney.
Along with its endorsements of its Champions for the Vocal Majority, this year ARS PAC is making significant investments in races and ballot initiatives across the country to support pro-gun violence prevention candidates and responsible ballot initiatives. ARS PAC is also working to hold candidates in the gun lobby’s grip accountable, including Senator Kelly Ayotte in the New Hampshire Senate race.
On Tuesday, September 27th, Congresswoman Giffords and Captain Kelly also launched a six-week, 14-state, 42-day nationwide bus tour – the Vocal Majority Tour – to encourage the vast number of Americans who support commonsense change to our gun laws to step up, speak out, and be catalysts for change this November. The Vocal Majority Tour has traveled to communities in battleground states and districts for grassroots events with local leaders, elected officials, and candidates to help ignite the Vocal Majority and elevate gun violence prevention in this fall’s election. The Vocal Majority Tour has already traveled to Florida, Iowa, Minnesota, Wisconsin, Maine, Massachusetts, New York, Connecticut, Maryland, Virginia and Washington, D.C.
Earlier this year, Congresswoman Giffords and Captain Kelly joined with Delaware leaders in Wilmington to announce a new bipartisan coalition, the “Delaware Coalition for Common Sense.” The coalition’s members – which include leaders from across sectors and parties – has worked to urge elected officials to advance policies that help keep guns out of the wrong hands and prevent gun tragedies while protecting the rights of law-abiding Americans to own firearms. Earlier this year, the coalition worked to pass a bill that strengthens the state’s gun background check laws by closing a dangerous loophole that lets gun sales to proceed before the criminal background check is complete.
In 2015, Congresswoman Giffords visited the Delaware State Capitol and called on lawmakers to pass SB 83 and help keep guns out of the hands of domestic abusers. Americans for Responsible Solutions also supported the bill through an advocacy program that included that included digital advertising, grassroots organizing, mobilizing key supporters in Delaware urging them to tell their representatives to support the bill. Click here to learn more about Americans for Responsible Solutions’ work in Delaware.