Giffords Partnership with Top Presidential Candidates Unveils New Videos on Why Gun Safety is a Central Issue in the 2020 Race

 New set of videos highlights testimonials from eight candidates on why gun safety matters to them, illustrating it would be a core issue from day one in the Oval Office 

Washington, DC — The top Democratic candidates for president appeared in new individual videos as part of the #GunSafetyPresident series produced by Giffords , the gun violence prevention organization led by former Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords. The new videos in the #GunSafetyPresident series feature Democratic candidates detailing personal stories about why gun safety is important to them, illustrating that if a Democrat is elected president, gun violence will be a top priority for the incoming administration.

In the wake of horrific mass shootings and daily gun violence that impact the United States, President Trump and Senate Republicans continue to block any votes on legislation, even the widely popular HR 8, the Bipartisan Background Checks Act of 2019  . These new #GunSafetyPresident videos highlight the different approaches these candidates would take and how they wouldn’t be afraid to demand stronger laws if elected president.

 Click here to watch the videos. 

The first three powerful videos in the series feature Democratic candidates making clear statements on gun violence: the President needs to sign background checks into law now, kids deserve to be safe at school, and it’s time to take on corruption at the National Rifle Association. The series has resonated nationwide and been viewed over 10 million times. The campaign marks the beginning of an extensive effort by Giffords to elevate gun safety as a top voting issue in the primary and frame the general election as a referendum on gun safety.

Peter Ambler, Giffords Executive Director:

“In times of crisis, America needs courage and leadership from the White House. Gun violence is such a crisis that reaches into our daily lives. Americans remain outraged that no place feels safe from being the site of the next shooting. Families have had enough of lockdown drills being a constant presence in the lives of their children. These Democratic candidates understand that. While they bring their own unique perspectives to the fight, these stories prove that all are united in taking a stand to address this public safety threat. Unlike Donald Trump, the Democratic candidates are making this a defining issue in the 2020 presidential race.”

For this set of videos Giffords is also launching a six-figure campaign in Texas, Colorado, and Minnesota—three Super Tuesday states. This effort will put the candidates’ stories in front of likely Democratic primary voters to ensure they consider stances on gun safety when casting their ballots. This pioneering campaign is letting Americans hear more from the candidates on issues related to gun violence. On October 2, 2019,  Giffords  and March For Our Lives hosted a presidential forum dedicated to addressing gun violence in America. The forum took place in Las Vegas on the day after the second anniversary of the deadliest mass shooting in modern American history.

Gun deaths in the United States have reached their highest level in almost 40 years, with nearly 40,000 Americans killed by a gun in 2017. The ripple effects of this crisis have been felt by communities across the country. The American public has been subjected to repeated mass shootings in schools and other civic spaces. Too often, communities of color disproportionately bear the continued impact and trauma of our nation’s gun violence epidemic.

Calls from voters to address gun violence in the Democratic primary continue to deepen.

• A recently released CNN study finds 47% of voters rank gun policy as extremely important when choosing their presidential candidate. This is third only behind health care and the economy and is an increase of 21% since May 2007.
• Following the 2018 midterms, NBC exit polling found that gun policy ranked as the #2 issue for Democratic voters, behind health care and ahead of the economy and immigration.
• The 2018 midterms saw the highest participation of young voters aged 18–29 in the past 25 years, with gun violence and the fear of school shootings a top issue driving their decision to vote in 2018.
• Democrats in the 2018 election ran and won back the House of Representatives in part because of their focus on robust gun violence prevention platforms, which included a 22-fold increase from the last midterms in the number of ad spots promoting safer gun laws.