Gun Safety Wins in Texas; Gabrielle Giffords Congratulates Lizzie Pannill Fletcher
November 6, 2018 – Former Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords released the following statement congratulating Lizzie Pannill Fletcher for winning Texas’s 7th Congressional District:
“This year, Lizzie Pannill Fletcher 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. Lizzie 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 Texas responded to this message of courage and hope by electing Lizzie to office. Today marks the dawn of a new era for gun safety in America.
“Lizzie made it clear that once elected, she would fight for laws proven to keep guns out of dangerous hands and save lives. Lizzie is a community leader and activist who has spent her career advocating for communities in and around Houston. On the campaign trail, she 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. Lizzie promised to bring what she heard to the halls of power, and now she will.
“Lizzie’s election is a testament to the strength of people who stood up and marched, who spoke up and said enough. Lizzie harnessed this new energy and pointed out that politicians had failed in their basic moral responsibility to keep us safe. Her 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 Lizzie Pannill Fletcher on her victory tonight and look forward to working with her in the months to come as we fight to make our schools, streets, and communities safer.”
Lizzie Pannill Fletcher supports commonsense measures to reduce gun violence, such as requiring background checks on all gun sales and closing gaps in current laws that allow convicted domestic abusers to get their hands on firearms, among many others. Giffords campaigned in Texas in the final days of the campaign for Pannill Fletcher as part of the Vote Save Lives tour. Giffords also invested $1.1 million in an ad campaign in TX-07 highlighting the choice TX-07 voters have when it comes to protecting students from gun violence. Her opponent, incumbent John Culberson, has an A rating from the NRA and received over $1K in donations from the gun lobby.
News Coverage Highlights:
- Houston Chronicle: Challenger Lizzie Fletcher outpaces incumbent John Culberson in cash for Houston U.S. House seat
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 Texas
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