Giffords PAC Endorses Miami-Dade Gun Safety Champions
Washington DC — Today,Giffords PAC, the gun safety organization founded by former Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords, endorsed a slate of gun safety champions in Miami-Dade County who have made gun violence prevention a priority of their campaigns.
These endorsements come on the heels of the launch of Giffords Florida, a new initiative dedicated to supporting candidates for local, state, and federal office in the Sunshine State who have the courage to fight gun violence. Giffords is investing more than $1 million to help gun safety champions in Florida. Giffords Florida, which is Giffords’s first and only state-specific political initiative, is now the largest bilingual gun safety political program focused entirely on Florida. Giffords Florida has a bilingual team on the ground in the Sunshine State, including Giffords Senior Advisor and former Congresswoman Debbie Mucarsel-Powell and Giffords Florida State Director Samantha Barrios.
Former Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords:
“Too many Floridians have lost their lives and so many more survivors face a future that’s been marked by gun violence. Florida’s current leaders are not doing enough. That’s why Giffords is proud to endorse this slate of gun safety champions in Miami-Dade who will prioritize gun violence prevention and support commonsense measures like universal background checks while opposing dangerous proposals like permitless concealed carry.”
Giffords Florida Senior Advisor former Congresswoman Debbie Mucarsel-Powell:
“As a survivor of gun violence and former Congresswoman who fought for gun safety measures in Congress, I’ve seen firsthand the gun lobby at work in Florida. For too long too many Floridian leaders have prioritized the gun lobby over their constituents. We are here today to say enough is enough. I am proud to work with Giffords to endorse this important slate of gun safety champions. This group of leaders will fight for gun violence prevention efforts and oppose dangerous legislation like permitless carry. It’s time to get these leaders to Tallahassee.”
Giffords Florida State Director Samantha Barrios:
“The candidates Giffords Florida is endorsing today are committed to ‘un futuro sin violencia.’ They will put our communities, families, and children first and be staunch advocates in Tallahassee for gun safety. Together, we can have the courage to end gun violence and make Florida a safer place to live.”
The slate of endorsed candidates includes:
- Adam Benna (FL HD-114): Whether as a congressional aide, as a Miami-Dade prosecutor, or in private practice, Adam Benna has dedicated his career to service. Now Benna is a candidate for the Florida State House where he will be an ardent advocate for gun violence prevention policies that will keep his constituents safe. At every step of Benna’s career he has used his platform to promote gun safety and commonsense gun laws. While working in Congress, Benna saw the heartbreaking consequences of gun violence firsthand when Trayvon Martin was shot in the Congressional district for which he worked. In the weeks and months after the killing, he spent time with Martin’s family to help them through unbearable pain that no family should ever have to experience. A gun owner himself, Benna believes in responsible gun ownership and knows that most gun owners support sensible, popular gun reform legislation. In the State House, he will defend the Second Amendment while fighting for legislation—such as universal background checks—that would keep firearms out of the hands of dangerous people and create a safer Florida for all.
- AJ D’Amico (FL HD-113): AJ D’Amico is the son of a Cuban exile who sought a better life in Miami, Florida. When D’Amico was a student at Florida State University, an armed gunman shot three people in his campus library. Struck by the pain of this tragedy, D’Amico became a supporter of commonsense gun laws to prevent other communities from suffering the same tragedy. This direct experience with gun violence gave him a unique perspective in his subsequent role as a legislative aide in the Florida Senate, where he played a key part in blocking legislation that would have put more lives at risk by permitting individuals to carry firearms on college campuses, courthouses, and airports. D’Amico represents a new generation of leaders that are committed to overcoming the gun violence epidemic facing Florida and the nation once and for all. He knows that a majority of Floridians support gun safety legislation, and he’s running to be their voice in Tallahassee—where he’ll be undaunted in fighting for real change.
- Raquel Pacheco (FL SD-36): As a refugee who came to the United States at the age of 10, Raquel Pacheco has a deep appreciation for America as a land of opportunity. At 19, Pacheco joined the Connecticut Army National Guard and became the first female to be named Soldier of the Year. Her dedication to public service hasn’t wavered since, she’s been a small business owner for 25 years, the chair of the City of Miami Beach’s Personnel Board, and the president of Miami Beach United. She has seen the power of hard work in making real change. Pacheco is a strong supporter of gun safety reforms and believes in the power of commonsense laws as a means to save lives. As a veteran, she believes weapons of war should only be used on the battlefield by well-trained service members, and knows that firearms should be better regulated in order to prevent future tragedies. As a mother, she lives in fear of her son’s school being the next site of a tragic mass shooting, and in Tallahassee, she’ll fight for needed legislation to keep Floridian children safe.
- Janelle Perez (FL SD-38): Janelle Perez is a fighter with tremendous courage and persistence to overcome challenges. In 2015, she was diagnosed with what her physicians told her was an incurable form of cancer, but after nearly three years of chemotherapy, Perez had beat the odds and won. As a mother of two young girls, Perez is laser-focused on fighting back against America’s epidemic of gun violence in the same way her doctors fought her cancer: with effective, science-based solutions that prioritize life. She knows there is more to be done to protect our kids—and she supports commonsense bipartisan solutions like universal background checks and gun licensing requirements because they are proven to save lives. As a state legislator, she will work with parents, teachers, healthcare workers, and advocates to solve this problem once and for all, so that every Floridian can have the same chances to live, succeed, and thrive in a free and safe world.
MEDIA REQUESTS
Our experts can speak to the full spectrum of gun violence prevention issues. Have a question? Email us at media@giffords.org.
Contact