Florida Senate Debate Reinforces Val Demings is the Only Gun Safety Candidate in this Race

Miami, FL — After tonight’s debate between Chief Val Demings and Senator Marco Rubio, Giffords Florida State Director Samantha Barrios released the following statement:

“Tonight’s debate made it clear that there is only one gun safety candidate in this race and that’s Chief Val Demings. Two of the worst mass shootings in modern US history happened in Florida while he has been in office, and yet Senator Marco Rubio has done nothing to address gun violence. He voted against the bipartisan gun safety legislation that passed this summer—legislation that had the support of 15 Republican senators. If Floridians want un futuro seguro, they must vote for Chief Demings!”

Giffords, the gun violence prevention organization founded by former Congresswoman Gabby Giffords, has invested more than $1 million in Florida this election cycle. Giffords Florida, which is the largest statewide bilingual initiative focused on gun safety, was launched earlier this year. Giffords PAC endorsed Chief Val Demings in December 2021. In September, Giffords Florida conducted a bus tour to support gun safety candidates running for a variety of offices throughout the state—from the local to federal level. A list of Giffords PAC’s 2022 endorsed candidates in Florida can be found here.

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