Vote Them Out: NRA Politicians We Must Defeat on November 3rd
We must elect gun safety champions who will prioritize public safety over gun industry profits.
In 2018, an unprecedented number of NRA A-rated candidates were forced into early retirement.
They lost because voters ranked gun safety as a top concern, a view that persists two years later as gun violence continues unabated during a global pandemic. Yet somehow there are still politicians who side with the NRA at every turn. Research indicates that when voters learn a candidate doesn’t support commonsense gun safety measures—namely background checks—they are less likely to vote for them.
As voters cast votes by mail and early voting begins across the country, let’s take a look at some of the reckless NRA lackeys running this year. We’ll also point you towards the Giffords champions taking them on.
North Carolina Senator Thom Tillis
Thom Tillis is running for a second term in the US Senate with an A+ rating from the NRA. It’s why the gun lobby group spent nearly $4.4 million to get him elected in 2014, which made him one of the top recipients of NRA money in the Senate.
Cal Cunningham
US Senate
Democrat | North Carolina
Tillis has been busy paying them back by voting to weaken gun laws nine times, including voting twice against strengthening our background check system, despite the fact that 8 in 10 North Carolinians support background checks. Tillis co-sponsored the Concealed Carry Reciprocity Act—the NRA’s top priority when it comes to rolling back gun safety laws at the federal level—not once but twice.
That’s why we’re supporting Tillis’s challenger, Cal Cunningham, who has dedicated his career to public service as an Army veteran and reservist, as well as a former state senator. As the vice chairman of Governor Roy Cooper’s Crime Commission, Cal helped develop recommendations to lower the risk of tragic school shootings. We know he will fight for gun safety, and the safety of all Americans, if elected to the US Senate.
Texas Senator John Cornyn
John Cornyn has remained aligned with the NRA throughout three terms in the Senate, voting for legislation that would weaken gun laws 17 times. He was the lead sponsor of Concealed Carry Reciprocity legislation that would allow people to carry guns across state lines without having to abide by existing state laws and regulations.
MJ Hegar
US Senate
Democrat | Texas
The Lone Star state has been home to a tragic number of high-profile, deadly shootings in the last several years. And every time, Cornyn blames mental health, not loopholes in our laws. He sticks to NRA talking points, even though people with mental health disorders are up to 10 times more likely than the general population to be victims, rather than perpetrators, of violence.
His challenger is a veteran, survivor, and gun owner MJ Hegar has centered gun safety in her campaign, calling for passing universal background checks, enacting extreme risk protection orders, and closing the boyfriend loophole, and will likewise prioritize solutions in the Senate.
Colorado Senator Cory Gardner
John Hickenlooper
US Senate
Democrat | Colorado
Cory Gardner has spent his entire political career dodging voters, pretending to be more moderate than he really is. He may not sound like Trump, but he sure votes like it. Gardner has voted against bipartisan gun safety measures at every turn since being elected, including voting against background checks twice. He’s also sided with Trump nearly 90% of the time, and the NRA has spent $4 million on his elections.
His challenger, former Colorado Governor John Hickenlooper, has passed meaningful legislation to protect Coloradans while serving as the leader of the state. He hopes to make Colorado’s lifesaving progress a model for the country when he is elected to the US Senate, and Giffords is proud to support him.
Lauren Boebert (CO-03)
Diane Mitsch Bush
US House
Democrat | Colorado — 3rd District
As the owner of a gun-themed “family” restaurant called “Shooters Grill” in Rifle, Colorado, Lauren Boebert encouraged a minor to carry a handgun as part of the staff uniform—even though minors in Colorado are prohibited from possessing handguns. She has aligned herself with white supremacists, Qanon, the Proud Boys and Three Percenters. She has made opposition to gun safety a keystone of her election and embraced extremist views that would pose a threat to the safety of Coloradans and all Americans if she were elected to Congress.
Thankfully, the voters of Colorado’s Third District have the opportunity to elect gun safety champion Diane Mitsch Bush, who will strengthen the gun safety majority when she is elected to the House. During her time in the Colorado House, Diane supported legislation to implement universal background checks and limit magazine capacity.
We are proud to support leaders committed to fighting for lifesaving solutions over gun lobby demagogues. Make no mistake: our safety is on the ballot this November. We must elect candidates who support commonsense gun safety over extremists beholden to the NRA.
GUN SAFETY LEADERS
Americans are demanding leaders who fight for us, not the gun lobby. Across the country, courageous leaders are running on gun safety platforms—and winning. We can’t let up now—we need to make our voices heard far and wide.
Join the fight