Everytown for Gun Safety Releases TV Ad to Support Virginia State Senate Candidate Dan Gecker, Details Campaign Plans in Key Race in NRA’s Backyard

RICHMOND, Va. — As part of its efforts to support gun sense candidates in states across the country who will fight for common-sense measures to save lives from gun violence, Everytown for Gun Safety Action Fund today released its first television advertisement, available here, calling on Virginians to vote for Dan Gecker, candidate for Virginia’s 10th Senate District. The TV ad, in conjunction with radio and digital advertising, will begin airing on network and cable in the Richmond media market tomorrow, and will run through the November 3rd elections in Virginia.

The ad features Andy Parker, father of murdered WDBJ-TV reporter Alison Parker and a member of the Everytown Survivor Network. Following their daughter’s murder this past August, Andy and Barbara Parker committed themselves to do, in Andy’s words, “whatever it takes” to reduce gun violence in America, including electing political leaders who stand for gun safety instead of with the gun lobby. This past weekend the Parkers rallied in Richmond with Everytown for Gun Safety and the Virginia chapter of Moms Demand Action for Gun Sense in America, part of Everytown, to galvanize support for gun sense candidate Dan Gecker and they will continue to mobilize voters in the days to come.

“By supporting gun sense candidates like Dan Gecker, we’re honoring the life of our daughter Alison and doing ‘Whatever It Takes’ to reduce gun violence in America and right here in Virginia,” said Andy and Barbara Parker, parents of murdered WDBJ-TV reporter Alison Parker and members of the Everytown Survivor Network. “The gun lobby and the politicians who do their bidding here in Virginia don’t deserve the vote of Virginians. Candidates like Dan Gecker have pledged to put gun safety first and a vote for Dan means a vote for the safety of Virginians.”

“The political calculus has changed and candidates are now running on their support for gun safety, instead of running away from the issue – even on the NRA’s home turf,” said John Feinblatt, President of Everytown for Gun Safety. “As the counterweight to the gun lobby, we are proud to help rally voters to support leaders like Dan Gecker who will work to pass common-sense laws instead of Glen Sturtevant who will choose the gun lobby over saving lives.”

Everytown’s electoral activity in Virginia this cycle follows previous decisive victories in 2014 that proved that guns is a winning issue at the ballot box, including the passage of I-594, Washington State’s background check ballot initiative, and the victory of more than 80 percent of Everytown’s endorsed candidates. Among them were governors in states that passed background check legislation since Sandy Hook including Governor Dannel Malloy (CT), Governor Andrew Cuomo (NY) and Governor John Hickenlooper (CO). In the 2013 Virginia elections, candidates for three of the state’s constitutional offices –including Governor Terry McAuliffe – won by making Virginia’s gun laws a campaign issue rather than avoiding it.