Giffords Endorses Kara Eastman for Congress in Nebraska

July 25, 2018

The endorsement comes as part of Giffords’ #VoteCourage Campaign to elect gun reform candidates nationwide

July 25, 2018 — Giffords, the gun safety organization founded by former Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords and Captain Mark Kelly, announced its endorsement of Kara Eastman in Nebraska’s second congressional district.

“Politicians bought and paid for by the gun lobby to defend the firearms industry can no longer get away with saying thoughts and prayers and then staying silent. They can no longer say acts of violence are acts of nature, beyond our control. They are not, and the American people know it. They’re tired of politicians who claim to represent them failing to take action to keep them safe. This year, voters are demanding leaders with the courage to fight for a nation where gun violence is not a daily problem,” said former Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords, co-founder of Giffords. “Voters are ready to elect leaders, like Kara Eastman, who will always put protecting the safety of our communities first, not themselves, and certainly not the gun lobby. Kara has what it takes to take on the biggest challenges and fight for solutions that will keep our schools, streets, churches and communities safe. Giffords is proud to endorse Kara Eastman for Congress, because she’s the kind of leader who will never stop working to make Nebraska’s communities safer.”

Kara Eastman founded a nonprofit that has served thousands of Omaha families over the last decade. She is running for Congress to bring strong Nebraska values to Washington. Kara knows that our politicians have failed to protect American children, which is why she supports requiring background checks on all gun sales and longer waiting periods for purchasing firearms.

Kara’s opponent, Don Bacon, has chosen to serve as a rubber stamp for the gun lobby’s dangerous agenda in Congress. During his first term, Don Bacon voted for a concealed carry reciprocity bill that would allow concealed carry permit holders to carry concealed guns in any state, regardless of that state’s gun safety laws. He voted to make it easier for individuals with dangerous mental illnesses to obtain a firearm. In the wake of Parkland, Bacon ignored the calls of a majority of Americans to consider stronger gun laws that would keep firearms out of the hands of dangerous individuals.

Giffords’ #VoteCourage campaign is 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 targets 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.

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