RELEASE: Giffords Endorses Representatives Ruben Gallego and Tom O’Halleran for Reelection to Congress in Arizona

August 17, 2018

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

Washington, DC — Giffords, the gun safety organization founded by former Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords and Captain Mark Kelly, announced its endorsement of Ruben Gallego in Arizona’s seventh congressional district and Tom O’Halleran in Arizona’s first congressional district.

A US Marine veteran who served in Iraq, Congressman Ruben Gallego has a unique understanding of firearms. Congressman Gallego supports requiring background checks for all gun sales, banning bump stocks, restarting federal research into gun violence, and enacting extreme risk protection orders. He has also introduced legislation to promote responsible behavior among licensed firearm dealers.

Congressman Tom O’Halleran spent more than a decade working in law enforcement before being elected to the Arizona state legislature. In Congress, his law enforcement background has helped shape his views on public safety. Congressman O’Halleran supports legislation to require background checks on all gun sales, keep firearms out of the hands of domestic abusers, enact extreme risk protection orders, and restart federal research into gun violence. He also stood up to the gun lobby by voting against a dangerous concealed carry reciprocity measure.

Statement from former Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords, co-founder of Giffords:

“America experienced three of the deadliest mass shootings in modern history in just the past year. Over 38,000 people in our country were killed by a gun in 2016. Arizona has not been immune to this deadly crisis: somebody is killed by a gun in Arizona every 9 hours. Despite this devastating reality, the gun lobby has used its cash and influence to stifle any attempts to pass laws on Capitol Hill to make our schools, streets, and communities safer. “The Members of Congress we are endorsing today acknowledge the devastating toll of our nation’s gun violence crisis, and they are working to combat it. Their leadership will be critical for our next victories in Congress to save lives and prevent future tragedies. Giffords is proud to endorse Representatives Ruben Gallego and Tom O’Halleran, who have the courage to stand up to the corporate gun lobby and who will never stop working to make Arizona communities safer.”

Giffords’ #VoteCourage campaign aims to elect gun safety advocates to Congress and defeat 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.

Learn More about the Giffords 2018 political program here.

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