Early Voting Begins, Giffords Launches Second Phase of Voter Mail Program to Flip Pivotal North Carolina Senate Seat
Giffords investment in North Carolina will surpass $1 million and is targeting over 400,000 voters
Washington, DC — Giffords PAC, the gun violence prevention organization founded by former Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords, dropped the final mail pieces in their $800,000 independent expenditure program this week. The program targets 400,000 households across the state who data indicates are persuadable on the issue of gun safety.
The mail pieces directly target Thom Tillis’ abysmal record on gun safety. The issue has long been important to voters in North Carolina, and in recent years has become a more crucial priority at the voting booth. This happened because Republican leadership and NRA-backed elected officials, including Tillis, refuse to take action on life saving gun safety laws such as background checks.
All together, Giffords and the Giffords PAC will have invested a million dollars into the state to support gun safety champions up and down the ballot in 2020.
The signature action is the mail program and features pieces highlighting Senator Thom Tillis’s record of prioritizing corporate gun lobby campaign money over the safety of his constituents. Despite the fact that 8 in 10 North Carolina voters support universal background checks, Sen. Tillis has voted against background checks and other solutions that would save lives—all while he accepts millions in campaign contributions from the gun lobby.
Statement from Peter Amber, Giffords Executive Director:
“Giffords PAC is all in for Cal Cunningham. He has the courage to stand up to the gun lobby and make history by passing a universal background checks bill. North Carolinians are fed up with Thom Tillis, who’s put gun lobby money over the safety of their families. Tillis had countless opportunities to be a leader, make a difference, and save lives. Instead, he did what the NRA told him to and stayed silent every single time he could have shown courage. In the closing weeks as voters go to the polls, we are making crystal clear who the real gun safety leader is.”
Democratic challenger Cal Cunningham supports universal background checks and will work hard in the Senate to protect North Carolina communities. The program includes mail pieces that will arrive as early voting begins in North Carolina. You can view the mail campaign here: piece 1,piece 2, piece 3, and piece 4.
Cunningham’s lifetime of service to his community has prepared him to fight for North Carolina in the US Senate. He was first elected to the North Carolina State Senate at the age of 27, making him one of the state’s youngest-ever elected senators. Following the September 11, 2001 attacks, he immediately signed up to serve his country in the US Army Reserves. He has since served three active duty tours and was honored with the Bronze Star and the prestigious General Douglas MacArthur Leadership Award. His training in the military taught him the responsibility that comes with using a firearm, and he understands the importance of uniting our communities around commonsense reforms.
Earlier this year, Giffords announced its endorsement of Cal. In August, Former Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords, co-founder of the gun violence prevention group Giffords, and North Carolina Senate candidate Cal Cunningham joined Giffords Executive Director Peter Ambler and Johnny Shaw, a retired educator and gun owner, in a virtual rally to elect a gun safety Senate. The event was part of the larger Road to Universal Background Checks Tour, and the group spoke with North Carolina voters about the importance of electing a new Senate majority ready to take action on universal background checks.
Recent Public Policy Polling shows that 58% of voters in North Carolina were more likely to support a senate candidate who supported universal background checks. Only 8% of those polled said a senate candidate’s support of universal background checks would make them less likely to vote for the candidate.