Giffords Congratulates Phil Murphy On New Jersey Gubernatorial Victory

November 7, 2017 – Giffords, the gun violence prevention organization founded by former Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords and retired NASA astronaut Captain Mark Kelly, issued the following statement congratulating Phil Murphy on his election to be the next Governor of New Jersey:

Gabby Giffords, Co-Founder, Giffords:

“Today, voters in New Jersey chose a Governor committed to making progress in fighting our nation’s epidemic of gun violence. They faced a clear choice between a candidate committed to making our communities safer and one who listened to the gun lobby. Phil Murphy’s election shows that New Jersey is tired of politicians who prioritize the corporate gun lobby’s interests over the safety, and the will, of New Jersey families. They know Phil Murphy will respect the rights of law-abiding gun owners while keeping weapons out of reach from violent felons, domestic abusers, and other dangerous individuals.

“We were proud to support Phil Murphy because he understands the stakes. Every 18 hours in New Jersey someone dies from a gunshot. Phil has made clear to us that as governor he will work to pass laws that stop people who are in danger of hurting themselves or other from possessing firearms, strengthen the background check system, and improve the availability of firearm safety technology. We are proud to stand with Phil as he celebrates his victory and look forward to working closely with him to enact legislation that will help protect New Jersey families instead of corporate gun lobby interests.”

In August, Giffords endorsed Phil Murphy for New Jersey Governor. In the finals days of the election, Gabby Giffords and Mark Kelly traveled to New Jersey to campaign with Murphy and his running mate, Sheila Oliver.