Gun Safety Wins in California; Gabrielle Giffords Congratulates Harley Rouda
November 6, 2018– Former Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords released the following statement congratulating Harley Rouda for emerging victorious in California’s 45th Congressional District:
“This year, Harley Rouda dared to imagine an America where gun violence wasn’t normal and people didn’t have to live in fear, wondering if today was the day they would have to duck under a desk or hide in a closet. Harley stood tall and boldly declared that the gun lobby is no longer welcome here, and their influence over our politicians is a thing of the past. Communities in California responded to this message of courage and hope by electing Harley to office. Today marks the dawn of a new era for gun safety in America.
“Harley made it clear that once elected, he would fight for laws proven to keep guns out of dangerous hands and save lives. He is an accomplished businessman with years of experience supporting his community. On the campaign trail, he listened to the concerns of voters who don’t understand how we can live in a country where nearly 100 lives are lost to gunfire each day. Harley promised to bring what he heard to the halls of power, and now he will.
“Harley’s election is a testament to the strength of people who stood up and marched, who spoke up and said enough. Harley harnessed this new energy and pointed out that politicians had failed in their basic moral responsibility to keep us safe. His election is proof that we don’t have to tolerate inaction on gun safety in a country where guns cause daily heartbreak and horror. We congratulate Harley Rouda on his victory tonight and look forward to working with him in the months to come as we fight to make our schools, streets, and communities safer.”
Harley Rouda strongly supports gun safety measures, including universal background checks, research on gun violence, and legislation that would keep dangerous people from accessing guns. Giffords campaigned alongside Harley in Huntington Beach as part of the Vote Save Lives tour and saw firsthand the fearless leadership that he will bring to Washington. His opponent, incumbent Dana Rohrabacher, has been a rubber stamp for the NRA, voting against commonsense gun safety measures and taking thousands of dollars in campaign contributions from the NRA.
Related Resources from Giffords:
- Memo: Giffords Elevates Gun Safety Champions; Takes on NRA in Congressional Battlegrounds
- Press Release: Gun Safety & The 2018 Midterms
- Fact Sheet: The State of Gun Violence in California
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