Everytown for Gun Safety Endorses 40 Moms Demand Action Volunteers Running for Office

Total of 163 Moms Demand Action & Students Demand Action Volunteers Endorsed This Year

NEW YORK — Today, Everytown for Gun Safety Action Fund endorsed 40 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 endorsement follows 121 Moms Demand Action and Students Demand Action volunteers endorsed in June. A full list of endorsed candidates is available here and today’s endorsements are listed below. 

“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 is available below:

• Arkansas: David Barber, running for State Senate (District 17)
• Arkansas: Amy Warren, running for Benton Counry Justice of the Peace (District 4)
• California: Luz Reyes-Martin, running for Goleta City Council
• Florida: Cindy Banyai, running for U.S. House (District 19)
• Florida: Rita Harris, running for State House (District 44)
• Georgia: Andrew Ferguson, running for State Senate (District 46)
• Georgia: Devin Pandy, running for State House (District 29)
• Illinois: Jennifer Gong-Gershowitz, running for State House (District 17)
• Illinois: Joyce Mason, running for State House (District 61) 
• Indiana: Jocelyn Vare, running for State Senate (District 31)
• Indiana: Chris Campbell, running for State House (District 26)
• Indiana: Sue Errington, running for State House (District 34)
• Indiana: Ryan Mears, running for Marion County Prosecutor
• Kansas: Nina Fricke, running for State House (District 6)
• Louisiana: Mandie Landry, running for State Senate (District 5) 
• Maine: Victoria Doudera, running for State House (District 41)
• Maine: Jacqueline Sartoris, running for Cumberland County District Attorney
• North Carolina: Leigh Coulter, running for State House (District 69)
• North Carolina: Lynn Edmonds, running for Wake County Board of Education (District 5)
• New Hampshire: Debra Altschiller, running for State Senate (District 24)
• New Hampshire: Amy Bradley, running for State House (Hillsborough 41)
• New Hampshire: Timothy O. Horrigan, running for State House (Strafford 10)
• New Jersey: Tai Wilson, running for Trenton City Council
• Ohio: Allison Russo, running for State House (District 7)
• Ohio: Jessica Miranda, running for State House (District 28)
• Ohio: Lisa Sobecki, running for Lucas County Commission
• Oregon: Janeen Sollman, running for State Senate (District 15)
• Oregon: Bridget Brooks, running for Tualatin City Council
• Rhode Island: Pamela Lauria, running for State Senate (District 32)
• Rhode Island: Diana Garlington, running for State House (District 5)
• Rhode Island: Jennifer Boylan, running for State House (District 66)
• Rhode Island: Patricia Alley, running for South Kingstown Town Council
• Rhode Island: Tony Morettini, running for Bristol and Warren School Committee
• Tennessee: Kate Craig, running for State Senate (District 3)
• Texas: Jan McDowell, running for U.S. House (District 24)
• Vermont: Thomas Chittenden, running for State Senate (Chittenden Southeast)
• Vermont: Erin Brady, running for State House (Chittenden 2)
• Vermont: Brenda Churchill, running for State House (Franklin 6)
• Vermont: Conor Casey, running for State House (Washington 4)
• Vermont: Kate McCann, running for State House (Washington 4)

Last year, Everytown for Gun Safety Victory Fund launched “Demand a Seat,” a new program that trains volunteers and gun violence survivors to run for office and work on campaigns, with over 250 volunteers graduating to date. The program will invest $3 million in educational training and mentorship opportunities for grassroots volunteers considering campaigns at the local, state, and federal levels. More information on Demand a Seat can be found here.

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. This year, a historic number of Moms Demand Action and Students Demand Action volunteers are running for office, building a bench of gun violence prevention advocates who are also elected officials.