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Former Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords and Senate Candidate Amy McGrath Rally for Universal Background Checks

Kentucky stop of the ‘Road to Universal Background Checks Tour’ featured gun safety champion and Senate candidate Amy McGrath as key member of the national movement to flip the Senate

    August 12, 2020 — Former Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords, co-founder of the gun violence prevention group Giffords, and former Marine fighter pilot and nominee for the US Senate Amy McGrath joined Giffords Executive Director Peter Ambler and gun owner and veteran Gary Steffen in a virtual rally to elect a gun safety Senate. As part of the larger Road to Universal Background Checks Tour, the group spoke with Kentucky voters about the importance of electing a new Senate majority ready to take action on universal background checks.

    “Amy McGrath is ready to be a champion for all Kentuckians in the United States Senate,” said Giffords Executive Director Peter Ambler. “Mitch McConnell has proven he’s more loyal to special interests like the NRA than Kentucky communities. That’s why he’s blocked gun safety legislation at every turn, while Amy McGrath is committed to fighting for commonsense legislation like universal background checks. It’s time for the people of Kentucky to have someone in the Senate who is fighting for them and their safety.”

    Speaking to thousands of viewers in Kentucky and nationwide, the panel of gun safety champions stressed the importance of protecting the gun safety majority in the House and electing a gun safety majority to the Senate so that universal background checks can finally become law.

    I am a gun owner and pro-Second Amendment,” said Amy McGrath. “I went to combat with a 9 millimeter strapped to my chest and a 20 millimeter cannon on the front of my jet. But at the same time, I’m the mother of three small kids, and my kids have to practice school shooting drills. We have to do something about this. Beyond common sense measures Congress should have enacted long ago, like background checks, we need an honest conversation about what we are willing to tolerate as a nation on gun safety.”

    Amy McGrath was the first woman to fly a combat mission for the Marine Corps, and throughout her twenty years in the Marines, she flew a total of 89 combat missions and earned several awards for her service. She has also served as a political advisor, liaison officer, instructor at the US Naval Academy, Congressional Fellow advising a senior member of the US House of Representatives Armed Services Committee on defense and foreign policy, and Marine Corps’ liaison to the State Department before returning to Kentucky to raise a family with her husband Erik, a retired Navy pilot. As a veteran, gun owner, and mom, Amy understands the importance of responsible gun ownership. Her opponent, in contrast, has been the single biggest obstacle to gun safety progress as Senate Majority Leader. He has repeatedly refused to even hold votes on crucial legislation like universal background checks, all while taking money from the NRA.

    “As a gun owner and a veteran, I know that we can respect responsible gun owners while also protecting our communities.” said Gary Steffen. “The people of Kentucky agree with me, and Mitch McConnell’s refusal to act on gun safety ignores the will of our communities. I’m proud to support Amy because I know she will stand for Kentucky values and take action on gun safety.”

    Giffords also released new Public Policy Polling in conjunction with the announcement of the tour that shows that 78% of Kentucky voters support universal background checksMore than half of voters are more likely to vote for a candidate that supports universal background checks. Only 12% of those polled said a candidate’s opposition of universal background checks would make them more likely to vote for that candidate.

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