Giffords PAC Endorses Beto O’Rourke for Governor
Washington DC — Today, Giffords PAC, the gun safety organization founded by former Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords, announced its endorsement of former Representative Beto O’Rourke in his Texas gubernatorial campaign. Representative O’Rourke served the people of El Paso for three terms in Congress and helped lead the fight to pass commonsense gun safety laws while in office. As a candidate for the U.S. Senate and President of the United States in 2018 and 2020 respectively, he made gun violence prevention a top priority – particularly in the wake of the tragic mass shooting at a Walmart in his hometown that killed 23 people.
Former Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords:
“Our hearts continue to break for the students and teachers killed in Uvalde this spring and for others lost across the state. The lives of too many Texans have been forever altered by gun violence. Now more than ever, Texas needs a champion in the governor’s office who can help mend the state’s traumatized communities and honor the lives we have lost with action. Former Representative Beto O’Rourke is that leader – he understands that commonsense gun safety reforms are needed to keep children safe in their classrooms and protect everyday Americans from senseless violence in places like schools, grocery stores and houses of worship. He has always stood up against the dangerous rhetoric of the gun lobby and will put his constituents’ needs ahead of special interests if elected. I am proud to support his historic campaign, and know that together, we can achieve real progress in the fight to make the Lone Star State a safer place for all.”
Former Representative Beto O’Rourke:
“I am honored to be endorsed by Giffords as we work to advance policies that will keep Texans safe. We are going to overcome a governor who always puts the gun lobby over the people of Texas, and work together to finally pass popular, bipartisan, commonsense gun safety measures that will keep our kids and our communities safe.”
Scott Spreier – Texas Chapter, Giffords Gun Owners for Safety:
“As a gun owner and Texan, I am angry and frustrated by the near-daily carnage inflicted on our communities by irresponsible, armed-to-the-teeth individuals. I am concerned about a family member or friend being gunned down by a shooter – and that’s why I’m supporting Beto O’Rourke for Governor of Texas. I know he supports the Second Amendment, and that he’ll always push for responsible reforms like passing universal background checks and mandating the safe storage of firearms. It’s time Texans put to pasture our self-serving governor who puts the gun lobby before the people, and elect a forward-facing leader like Beto O’Rourke, who has the courage to create laws that reduce gun violence and make our streets and schools safe again.”
Representative O’Rourke believes in protecting the Second Amendment and in continuing his state’s long tradition of responsible gun ownership, while also working to keep the people of Texas safe. In office and on the campaign trail, he has consistently advocated for the types of commonsense measures that Texans agree will prevent gun violence in their communities, save lives, and protect the state’s children and families from harm. In recent years, Representative O’Rourke’s state has experienced four of the deadliest mass shootings in American history – including the tragedies in Uvalde, Sutherland Springs, Santa Fe and El Paso. While his opponent, incumbent Governor Greg Abbott, has taken money from the gun lobby and actively opposed gun safety bills, Representative O’Rourke has pushed for the passage of bipartisan, broadly popular measures such as repealing Texas’ dangerous permitless carry law, passing universal background checks at both the state and federal level, implementing extreme risk protection order laws, enacting safe storage measures, and keeping weapons of war off our streets.
We know that commonsense gun laws save lives, but as the Supreme Court recently proved, they are under attack. This fall, it is more important than ever that we elect gun safety governors across the country to combat the kind of judicial overreach that is making our country less safe. Former Representative Beto O’Rourke is exactly the kind of leader the people of Texas need in this moment – he will never give up the fight to protect his constituents from harm and will push back against the dangerous actions of the gun lobby at every turn. Giffords PAC is proud to endorse Beto O’Rourke for Governor of Texas.
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