Everytown For Gun Safety Endorses 32 Moms Demand Action Volunteers Running For Office

NEW YORK — Today, Everytown for Gun Safety Action Fund endorsed 32 Moms Demand Action volunteers running for office across the country. The volunteers endorsed today represent the growing power of Moms Demand Action and Students Demand Action volunteers as candidates for office themselves. Today’s endorsements are the first set of volunteer endorsements for this election cycle. 

“Ending our gun violence epidemic requires passing strong gun laws, and that requires electing strong gun safety champions,” said John Feinblatt, president of Everytown for Gun Safety. “We’re proud to endorse these Moms Demand Action volunteers, who are already walking the walk on gun safety.”  

“Voters want candidates who will fight for gun safety – and there’s no stronger fighters than Moms Demand Action and Students Demand Action volunteers,” said Shannon Watts, founder of Moms Demand Action. “We’re incredibly proud to endorse our volunteers who are looking to take the step from activist to lawmaker by Demanding a Seat at every level of government – and our grassroots army of fellow volunteers are ready to help get them elected.”

The full list of candidates endorsed today and the office they are running for is available below:

• Indiana: 
  • Jocelyn Vare, Fishers City Council
  • Stephanie Crandall, Fort Wayne City Council, At-Large
  • Emilie Hunt, Valparaiso City Council, At-Large
• New Jersey: 
  • Ryan Kennedy, Mayor of Hopewell Borough Council
  • Sandi Mayer, Morristown City Council, Ward 4
  • Kathleen Dolan, New Providence Borough Council
  • Robert Challender, Tuckerton Borough Council
  • Christine McGrath, Verona Town Council
• New York: 
  • Dustin Reidy, Albany County Legislature, 30th District
  • Ruth Walter, Westchester County Legislature, 15th District
  • Monica Ferguson, Clarkstown Town Council, Ward 1
  • Jared Behr, Town of Oyster Bay Supervisor
• Ohio: 
  • Frank Whitfield, Mayor of Elyria
  • Adrienne Hood, Columbus City Council, District 4
• Oregon: 
  • Sarah Finger McDonald, Corvallis School Board, Position 7
  • Paul Kemp, North Clackamas School District, Position 1
  • April Dobson, North Clackamas School District, Position 7
• Pennsylvania: 
  • Amy Sarno, Allegheny Valley School District, School Director
  • Jenna Paulat, Avonworth School District, School Director
  • Deanna Philpott, North Hills School Board, At-Large
  • Anne Demo, State College Area School District Board
• Virginia: 
  • Zach Cummings, Virginia State Senate, District 31
  • Laura Cohen, Virginia State House, District 15
  • Rozia Henson, Virginia State House, District, 19
  • Fernando “Marty” Martinez, Virginia State House, District 29
  • Juli Briskman, Loudon County Supervisor, Algonkian District
  • Puja Khanna, Loudon County Supervisor, Dulles District
  • Laura TeKrony, Loudon County Supervisor, Little River District
  • Anne Donohue, Loudoun County School Board, At-Large
  • April Chandler, Loudoun County School Board, Algonkian District
  • Erika Ogedegbe, Loudoun County School Board, Leesburg District
  • Shantell Rock, Prince William County School Board, Woodbridge District

Everytown for Gun Safety Victory Fund launched “Demand a Seat,” a program to train grassroots volunteers and gun violence survivors to take the next step in their advocacy efforts by running for office and working on campaigns to elect gun sense candidates in 2021. Since 2017, hundreds of Moms Demand Action volunteer leaders have run for elected office and dozens have won seats – from town council and school board to U.S. Congress. More than 275 volunteers and gun violence survivors ran in the 2021-22 election cycle and 158 won their races. More information on Demand a Seat can be found here.