Giffords Endorses Hala Ayala for Lieutenant Governor of Virginia

Washington, DC — Giffords, the gun safety organization founded by former Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords, announced its endorsement of Hala Ayala for Virginia Lieutenant Governor. Giffords previously endorsed Hala for delegate in 2019.   

“Hala Ayala knows the severe toll gun violence takes on families across Virginia, and has made it her mission to end the violence and save lives,” said former Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords. “For Hala, it’s personal. After losing her father to gun violence, she continues to fight until every community in the Commonwealth is made safer by passing commonsense gun safety laws. Giffords is proud to endorse Hala, who has the courage to fight gun violence.”

“I feel deeply honored to be endorsed by Giffords, a leading organization in the gun violence prevention movement,” said lieutenant gubernatorial candidate Hala Ayala. “When I was just two years old, I lost my own father to gun violence. Sadly, too many people in Virginia share the same pain and trauma I’ve experienced—the trauma of losing a loved one to gun violence. I look forward to working with Giffords to tackle our nation’s gun violence epidemic.” 

Hala was elected to the House of Delegates in 2017, as the first Afro-Latina to ever serve in Virginia’s state legislature. If elected, Hala would be the first Latina and woman Lieutenant Governor in the state of Virginia. Hala, the daughter of an immigrant and a lifelong Virginian, worked her way up from a service job to become a cybersecurity specialist with top security clearance for the Department of Homeland Security, all while raising two children. 

Hala is the former president and founder of the Prince William County chapter of the National Organization for Women and previously served on Governor Terry McAuliffe’s Council on Women. Giffords is proud to endorse Hala for Lieutenant Governor of Virginia.