Giffords Endorses 4 House Candidates Ready to Lead on Gun Safety

The candidates will fight for change for their communities in Congress

August 17, 2020— Giffords PAC, the gun violence prevention organization founded by former Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords, endorsed four candidates for the US House of Representatives. The slate brings diverse experiences in education, finance, and advocacy that have prepared them to fight for solutions to America’s gun violence epidemic. The House during this Congress made tremendous progress on the issue, including the passage of H.R. 8, the Bipartisan Backgrounds Check Act of 2019, and these leaders will help strengthen the gun safety majority and continue the fight.

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

“Today’s candidates have the strength, determination, and experience we need in Congress to advance the fight against gun violence. Their districts represent the beauty and diversity of America, and they are united in their dedication to stand up for the safety of their communities. We are proud to endorse these champions as they push for lifesaving gun safety solutions in Congress. We’re confident they can win and build an even stronger gun safety majority.”

Today’s Giffords Endorsements are:

Dana Balter (NY-24) Dana Balter is running to represent New York’s 24th District in the US House of Representatives. Growing up, Dana fought to ensure that her brother with cognitive disabilities had access to the resources he needed to succeed. This experience drove Dana to begin her career in disability services, first as a teacher and then as a director of education for a nonprofit. Dana then returned to school to study public administration, after which she taught public policy and citizenship at Syracuse University. In 2018, Dana ran a grassroots campaign that swung New York’s 24th District by 16 points before founding a non-partisan, nonprofit organization dedicated to building civic engagement. Dana wants all communities to be safe, which is why she believes in commonsense gun safety measures. Once elected, Dana will fight to enact universal background checks and close loopholes to keep firearms away from people prohibited from having them. Dana recognizes that gun violence is a public health epidemic and supports extensive research into the causes and impacts of this crisis. Dana Balter has been a fierce advocate her entire life and will continue her advocacy work as a gun safety champion in Congress.

Kara Eastman (NE-02) Kara Eastman is the Democratic nominee for Nebraska’s Second Congressional District. Kara is a dedicated public servant with more than 20 years of experience in the nonprofit sector. Kara started Omaha Healthy Kids Alliance, which has grown to be a nationally recognized organization and raised more than $13 million to support safe housing. Additionally, Kara served on the board of the Nonprofit Association of the Midlands and on the Mayor of Omaha’s Fair Housing Advisory Board, while also getting elected to the Board of Governors of Metropolitan Community College. In 2018, Kara ran to represent Nebraska’s Second Congressional District and came within two points of unseating the Republican incumbent who she will be facing again this November. Kara’s dedication to the public health and safety of her community goes hand in hand with her support of gun violence prevention measures. Once elected to Congress, Kara will advocate for universal background checks, raising the minimum age to buy a firearm to 21 years old, and banning the sale of military-grade weapons. Residents of the Second Congressional District can rely on Kara Eastman to fight for gun safety measures that will protect and improve the lives of everyday Nebraskans.

Mike Siegel (TX-10) Mike Siegel is the Democratic nominee seeking to represent Texas’s Tenth Congressional District. A former AmeriCorps and Teach for America member, Mike taught in public schools for five years, as well as founded two education nonprofit organizations that provide free after-school and summer programs to children. After attending law school, Mike represented women who faced workplace discrimination and whistleblowers suffering from retaliation. Most recently, Mike served as an Austin city attorney, representing the municipality against the state of Texas on behalf of a litany of groups, including constituents in support of commonsense gun reform. As a former public school teacher, Mike understands the reality of gun violence in America all too well. Mike is committed to supporting gun safety measures to prevent senseless acts of violence from happening in schools, places of worship, and all across the country. If elected to the US House of Representatives, Mike will support passing universal background checks, ending the sale of weapons of war, funding federal research into gun violence, and enacting extreme risk protection laws.

Cynthia Wallace (NC-09) Cynthia Wallace is the Democratic nominee for North Carolina’s Ninth Congressional District. Raised in rural Georgia, Cynthia quickly picked up an interest in politics from her father, who was the first Black county commissioner elected in Effingham County and co-founder of his local chapter of the NAACP. Cynthia received her undergraduate degree from Spelman College and worked as a teacher’s assistant while earning her master’s degree from the University of North Florida. Cynthia has 25 years of experience in financial services and has also volunteered her time to the North Carolina Democrats and the Charlotte chapter of the National Alumnae Association of Spelman to encourage young Black women to pursue higher education. As the former chair of her local Democratic branch, Cynthia understands the importance of electing gun safety leaders who will stand up for policies proven to save lives. Cynthia supports popular, commonsense gun safety measures like universal background checks and extreme risk protection laws to ensure that those prohibited from possessing a firearm cannot access them. North Carolina’s Ninth Congressional District can trust Cynthia Wallace to prioritize its safety by being a gun violence prevention leader.

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