Giffords to Target Nebraska Congressman Don Bacon (NE-02) for Anti-Gun Reform Record
Giffords’ #VoteThemOut Campaign aims to defeat gun lobby politicians, including Bacon
May 4, 2018 – Giffords, the gun safety organization founded by former Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords and Captain Mark Kelly, added Nebraska Congressman Don Bacon to its list of politicians to defeat this November. The announcement is part of Giffords’ larger #VoteThemOut campaign to elect gun safety champions to public office and unseat politicians who have refused to pass lifesaving gun violence prevention legislation.
Peter Ambler, Executive Director of Giffords:
“The gun violence epidemic we see in this country does not only spring from the actions of a handful of individuals. It’s also the result of politicians who systematically refuse to stand up to the gun lobby and make the changes necessary to make our schools, streets, and neighborhoods safe. In the two years he’s been in Congress, Don Bacon has seen some of the most horrific episodes of gun violence shake our country, Yet he has done nothing to prevent these atrocities from happening again. Politicians like Don Bacon don’t deserve a second chance.”
A first-term Congressman, Don Bacon wasted no time in accepting over $18,000 in contributions from the NRA. In the past two years, Bacon has voted for a concealed-carry reciprocity bill and voted to weaken restrictions on firearm purchases by individuals with mental illnesses. He’s also stated his opposition to universal background checks, a federal gun database, and a semiautomatic weapons ban.
In recent years, gun safety laws in Nebraska have progressed in fits and starts. Last year, Nebraska passed a law prohibiting individuals guilty of harassment from buying guns. However, the state still lacks critical gun safety measures including universal background checks, state licensing requirements for gun sales, and extreme risk protection orders.
Don Bacon’s seat was won by only a 1 point margin in one of the most progressive areas of the state, spurring speculation that he is vulnerable to losing his seat.
This February, Giffords launched the #VoteCourage campaign aimed at electing gun safety advocates to Congress and defeating politicians who have historically worked against gun reform, or done nothing at all to prevent gun violence. The political program is targeting incumbents in mostly suburban districts and uses a mixture of TV and digital advertising, on-the-ground organizing, and a voter registration push to create momentum for meaningful progress on gun safety.
As part of the campaign, Giffords also released a series of new digital ads today highlighting the close ties between 10 of the #VoteThemOut incumbents and the National Rifle Association.
Today, Giffords also launched a new digital resource for voters spotlighting the elected officials they are seeking to unseat. The overall effort is working to clear the deck and make room for new leaders in Congress pledge to support legislation that will address the country’s gun violence epidemic.
The mass shooting at Parkland, Florida crystallized the country’s frustration with the lack of action to pass gun safety laws. Currently, the country is averaging nearly 34,000 deaths from guns every year, and recent polling shows that support for stronger gun laws is at an all-time high.
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