Giffords PAC Endorses New Wave of House Challengers

June 29, 2022

Washington DC — Today,Giffords PAC, the gun safety organization founded by former Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords, announced its endorsement of 11 candidates running for the US House of Representatives. From coast to coast, these candidates are campaigning on gun safety platforms in open seats or challenging incumbent Republicans who have opposed the types of commonsense reforms needed to save lives from gun violence. This fall, their victories would help to solidify and expand the current gun safety majority in the House—and with the gun lobby and national Republicans eager to flip control of Congress, they must succeed. Giffords PAC is resolute in our support of these superb gun safety champions, and we know they will all have the courage to immediately act on this issue once in office.

Former Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords:

“This month, the US House of Representatives made history by passing some of the most comprehensive gun violence prevention legislation in nearly three decades—yet just a handful of votes determined the difference between the success and failure of these measures. As we know all too well, the current House majority is one of the slimmest in decades. If we want to continue passing the types of lifesaving reforms that are needed to stem America’s epidemic of gun violence, like universal background checks and strong extreme risk protection order laws, we must work to expand the House majority this fall. I am inspired by the dedication and passion the challengers we are endorsing today have brought to their campaigns, and I know they will all be excellent members of Congress if elected. They each bring unique skills and experience to the table, and I am certain that their success will be instrumental in continuing to push our movement forward in the years to come.”

The slate of endorsed candidates includes:

Jay Chen (CA-45): As a Navy veteran with a sharpshooter certification, Lieutenant Commander Jay Chen knows the danger of letting weapons fall into the wrong hands. During Operation Inherent Resolve, Chen admirably served his country by leading an intelligence team that helped bring justice to terror groups like ISIS. In Congress, he’ll continue this service by supporting commonsense gun safety reforms like restricting the availability of high capacity magazines, expanding background checks to all gun sales, and strengthening safe storage laws. As the son of Taiwanese immigrants and as the father of two young boys, Chen knows that racially motivated acts of hate must be rooted out, and that we must do more to protect students across the country in their classrooms. Once elected, he is committed to restoring integrity and accountability in Washington DC and will lean on his experience in national security to keep his constituents safe from senseless violence.

Brittany Pettersen (CO-07): Like far too many people in Colorado, State Senator Brittany Pettersen has seen the deadly impacts of gun violence firsthand. Senator Pettersen grew up in Jefferson County and was attending a nearby high school when the Columbine shooting took place. Moved by the experience, she first stepped up to run for the Colorado State House in one of the most competitive races in the state in 2012, and went on to serve for six years before setting her sights higher. Senator Pettersen knows that gun violence is preventable if we have leaders with the courage to stand up and fight for our future. As a mother, she is determined to ensure that the next generation doesn’t have to grow up with active shooter drills and can feel safe in any public space. In office, she has sponsored and passed nationally recognized policies to close background check loopholes for gun sales, keep guns out of the hands of those who commit domestic abuse, and provide a process to relinquish a person’s firearm if they are a danger to themselves or others.

Yadira Caraveo (CO-08): As a pediatrician who is confronted daily with the fact that firearms are now the leading cause of death among children, State Representative Yadira Caraveo is steadfast in her belief that we must do more to protect our communities from senseless acts of violence. In the state legislature, Representative Caraveo has supported the establishment of extreme risk protection order laws, and plans to continue to push for commonsense gun safety legislation in Congress. On the campaign trail, she has been a vocal opponent of calls to arm teachers and has pushed back against the dangerous rhetoric of her Republican challenger, who has frequently endorsed rolling back gun safety laws already on the books. Colorado’s 8th district was created during the 2020 redistricting process and represents one of the best pickup opportunities for Democrats this fall—and Representative Yadira Caraveo is exactly the kind of candidate needed to win.

Christina Bohannan (IA-01): State Representative Christina Bohannan grew up in a rural area where firearms were common, and she regularly hunted with her father and brother as a child. As a law professor specializing in the United States Constitution, Representative Bohannan supports the Second Amendment, while also recognizing that commonsense gun safety reforms, like expanding background checks and implementing extreme risk protection order laws, play a key role in keeping communities safe from gun violence. As a longtime member of Moms Demand Action who has twice been designated as a Gun Sense Candidate of Distinction, she knows that our children deserve better, and she stands ready to make real change in Washington if elected. While serving in the Iowa Legislature, Representative Bohannan has consistently spoken out against harmful policies pushed by Republican leadership, including a “strict scrutiny” amendment to the state constitution that would eliminate Iowa’s prohibition on gun possession by convicted felons and those who commit domestic abuse, gut the states background requirements, and undermine public safety.

Liz Mathis (IA-02): As a journalist and a non-profit leader supporting children with mental and behavioral health issues, State Senator Liz Mathis has listened and shared Iowans’ public safety concerns for over three decades. As a mother and an elected official, Senator Mathis has always made working across the aisle to enact commonsense gun safety solutions a priority – like advocating to keep guns out of the hands of those who are a danger to themselves or others, or who commit domestic abuse. In office, she has stood up to the gun lobby’s efforts to weaken licensing and permitting requirements, and has vocally opposed efforts to limit liability for gun manufacturers and sellers. Having grown up on the farm, Senator Mathis respects the rights of hunters and responsible gun owners, but knows that it’s well past time for members of Congress to put partisan politics aside and pass legislation to keep our children and communities safe. In Congress, she will bring people together and work hard to pass legislation that would require the safe storage of firearms and address the scourge of gun trafficking.

Nikki Budzinski (IL-13): Nikki Budzinski has always made public service and giving back to others a cornerstone of her career. As a senior advisor to Governor JB Pritzker and as the chief of staff at the Office of Management and Budget in President Biden’s administration, she has worked at the highest levels of state and federal government to level the playing field for workers. For Budzinski, keeping communities safe from gun violence plays a key role in building these kinds of opportunities. In office, she wants to take a holistic approach to this issue by making sure there are consequences for people who break the law while also working to disrupt cycles of violence by funding early childhood education and violence interruption programs. She supports the Second Amendment, but believes there are commonsense measures that would provide additional safety in our communities, like closing the gun show loophole and working to ensure that law enforcement officers have adequate funding for more training and recruitment.

Gabe Vasquez (NM-02): Gabe Vasquez is a first-generation American who grew up in the borderlands and has always worked hard to make a positive difference in the lives of others. In 2017, he was elected to the Las Cruces City Council. In this role, he delivered millions of dollars in investment to create and improve his community and helped craft a comprehensive development plan that focused on lifting families out of poverty—which has proven to be an effective tool in reducing gun violence. In prior years, Vasquez has served as the executive director of the Las Cruces Hispano Chamber of Commerce and as a policy advocate promoting child welfare and family wellbeing at the federal level. He is a sportsman who respects the Second Amendment, but he is also committed to fighting for the types of commonsense reforms that are designed to save lives.

Emilia Sykes (OH-13): State Representative Emilia Sykes believes that there is nothing more sacred than her obligation to ensure the safety and security of those she serves. Since 2014, she has served as a state representative for Ohio’s 34th legislative district and recently finished four years in Democratic leadership—where she held the positions of assistant whip, minority whip, and minority leader. As minority leader, Representative Sykes pushed for a package of key gun reforms that included universal background checks, extreme risk protection orders, and child-proof storage requirements for firearms. She has been an outspoken critic of Ohio’s “no duty to retreat” law, and her work on domestic violence—which largely focused on granting protections to victims of dating violence—has earned her bipartisan praise. Representative Sykes believes the opportunity for a better life begins with the fundamental promise that you can live, work, and retire in your own community with safety and security. In Congress, she will be committed to heeding the calls of those demanding commonsense measures to keep our communities safe.

Wiley Nickel (NC-13): State Senator Wiley Nickel is proud to have been a champion for commonsense gun safety legislation throughout his two terms in the North Carolina General Assembly, and looks forward to continuing that work in Congress. As a father, husband, and former staffer for President Obama, he has dedicated his life to leveling the playing field for hardworking families and keeping our communities safe from gun violence. When opponents of gun safety attempted to push a bill that would have done away with the permit process needed to obtain a pistol in North Carolina, Senator Nickel stood up and helped block the bill by sustaining Governor Roy Cooper’s veto. In office, he has also been proud to cosponsor legislation to establish extreme risk protection orders, which would help keep deadly weapons out of the hands of dangerous people and those who commit domestic abuse. In Congress, he’s committed to working across the aisle to push for the passage of measures like universal background checks and for securing additional funding for community violence intervention programs.

Jeff Jackson (NC-14): In 2014, Senator Jeff Jackson became the second-youngest senator in the North Carolina State Senate. While he was new to political office, he was not new to public service – he enlisted in the Army after the attacks of September 11, trained at Ft. Bragg, and served in uniform in Afghanistan. Today, he continues to serve his country as a major in the Army National Guard and as a state legislator who is committed to passing commonsense gun safety legislation. During his military service, Senator Jackson was trained to use a number of weapons, and he understands how important gun safety reform is—and that doing nothing in the face of continued violence is unacceptable. After the shooting in Parkland, Florida, Senator Jackson introduced the Safer Schools Healthier Kids Act, which included provisions to create extreme risk protection orders, ban the sale of assault weapons and long guns to minors in North Carolina, ban bump stocks and trigger cranks, and require licensing for gun sales to adults.

Greg Casar (TX-35): Greg Casar is an organizer and former member of the Austin City Council who has supported working families from San Antonio to East Austin. As the proud son of Mexican immigrants, he has successfully fought to expand civil rights protections and has always worked to keep his community safe. While serving his constituents, Casar supported the creation of a Gun Violence Task Force in Austin, as well as a new Office of Violence Prevention, and successfully expanded and funded gun violence reduction programs. In office, he also successfully established the nation’s first mental health services available directly at 911, created an Office of Police Oversight, reformed use-of-force policies, and greatly expanded family violence shelters to protect public safety.

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