(PORTLAND, OREGON) — In races across Oregon today, voters supported candidates who will act to prevent gun violence, including 100 percent of Everytown for Gun Safety’s endorsed candidates in Oregon, U.S. Senator Jeff Merkley, U.S. Representative Earl Blumenauer and Governor John Kitzhaber. In addition, the election of Rep. Sara Gelser to the state Senate signals a pro-background check majority in 2015, which clears the most significant roadblock in Everytown for Gun Safety’s work over the past two years to close loopholes in state gun laws that make it easy for criminals and other dangerous people to find guns online and buy them from strangers with no background checks, no questions asked.
“Everytown and Moms invested in extensive voter education efforts, including old-fashioned, door-to-door canvasses, to make sure voters knew that Senators Betsy Close and Bruce Starr opposed criminal background checks on all gun sales. Senator-elect Sara Gelser will join other gun sense leaders in the legislature and create a pro-background check majority in the state Senate, which is a resounding victory for our moms and families,” said Anneliese Davis, volunteer with the Oregon Chapter of Moms Demand Action, a project of Everytown for Gun Safety.
“Now the real work begins. When the legislative session starts next year we will roll up our sleeves and work to pass legislation that will keep guns out of the hands of criminals and save Oregonians’ lives,” Davis continued.
Everytown for Gun Safety Action Fund strategically invested $600,000 in Oregon to support grassroots organizing, direct mail, paid advertising and digital organizing to identify Gun Sense Voters and turn them out to vote. Moms Demand Action, part of Everytown for Gun Safety, launched an unprecedented effort to educate and mobilize gun sense voters in Oregon and hold accountable Senators Betsy Close and Bruce Starr, who oppose criminal background checks (at present, Chuck Riley’s is ahead in his race to replace Sen. Starr). In total, Everytown and Moms Demand Action made more than 57,000 contacts to Oregon voters.
