Fmr. Congresswoman Mucarsel-Powell, Giffords PAC Hold Gun Safety Roundtables in Colorado

Denver, CO —  Yesterday, Giffords Senior Advisor and former Congresswoman Debbie Mucarsel-Powell joined gun safety candidates in Colorado focused on boosting turnout this fall with gun safety messaging.

“Gun safety is a winning issue for candidates across the country—especially here in Colorado and among this state’s Hispanic and Latino communities. Coloradans deserve leaders in Washington who will be their safety first and prevent gun violence. We’re proud to support these gun safety champions in their races.”

The first roundtable in Thornton focused on a wide range of gun safety issues and the importance of electing champions to Congress this fall. This conversation was moderated by former Congresswoman and Giffords Senior Advisor Debbie Mucarsel-Powell and featured three Giffords PAC endorsed candidates: Representative Jason Crow (CO-06), State Senator Brittany Pettersen (Running for CO-07), and State Representative Yadira Caraveo (Running for CO-08). 

The second gun safety roundtable was held in Denver’s Montbello neighborhood with Senator Michael Bennet(D, CO) and included State Representative Jennifer Bacon and a number of local partners and advocates. This discussion was focused on the need to address rising rates of gun violence and the importance of passing gun safety legislation at the state and federal levels.

• Senator Michael Bennet: Michael Bennet has been a longstanding advocate for commonsense gun safety. After tragic mass shootings like those in Aurora and Boulder, Senator Bennet has passionately called for comprehensive, bipartisan solutions to stop the violence plaguing cities and towns across our country .After the Colorado legislature took decisive action by closing dangerous loopholes in its own gun laws, Senator Bennet called for the US Senate to follow his state’s example by expanding universal background checks to all gun sales at the federal level. During his nearly 13 years in the Senate, he has championed legislation to bar perpetrators of domestic violence from being able to access firearms and repeatedly urged his colleagues to reauthorize the Violence Against Women Act. His opponent Joe O’Dea stands in stark contrast. O’Dea will not be a moderate voice for Colorado and he said he opposes any new gun laws. Coloradans need a Senator with a record of passing bipartisan gun safety laws to keep our families safe. We need to re-elect sensible candidates like Michael Bennet.

• Representative Jason Crow (CO-06): Representative Jason Crow has a critical understanding of the deadly impacts of America’s gun violence epidemic, as it has plagued his home state more than most. As a hunter and former Army Ranger, Crow knows that commonsense reforms are needed to reduce gun violence, and in 2018, his successful campaign was one of Giffords PAC’s top priorities. In Congress, he serves as the Vice Chair of the Gun Violence Prevention Task Force, and has become one of the most ardent House supporters of safe storage legislation and passing universal background checks into law. Representative Crow has never bent to the whims of the gun lobby and has made it a priority to directly take on its corrupt practices. In both 2019 and 2021, Crow helped introduce the Equal Access to Justice for Victims for Gun Violence Act to remove gun industry protections that prevent victims of gun violence from pursuing legal action.

• State Senator Brittany Pettersen (Running for 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.

• State Representative Yadira Caraveo (Running for 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. 

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