Everytown, Moms Demand Action Statement on Lucy McBath Primary Victory

Rep. McBath, a Former Everytown Staff Member, Moms Demand Action Volunteer and Gun Violence Survivor, is a Proven Gun Sense Champion in Congress

ATLANTA — Everytown for Gun Safety Action Fund and Victory Fund (“Everytown”) and its grassroots networks, Moms Demand Action and Students Demand Action, today released the following statements as Rep. Lucy McBath, a former Moms Demand Action volunteer and gun violence survivor, won the Democratic primary outright in Georgia’s 7th Congressional District. 

“Today’s school shooting in Uvalde, Texas is an excruciating reminder of why we desperately need more gun sense champions like Lucy McBath in Congress,” said John Feinblatt, president of Everytown for Gun Safety. “As someone who knows firsthand the inconceivable pain of losing a child to gun violence, Lucy is doing everything in her power to spare others from that terrible fate, and Everytown will do everything in our power to keep a leader like Lucy in the House.”

“Representative McBath has lost a son to gun violence and knows what families in Uvalde, Texas are going through tonight,” said Shannon Watts, founder of Moms Demand Action. “We can’t accept this as normal, we won’t accept this as normal, and that’s why Moms Demand Action volunteers are standing behind Lucy during this primary and as she continues her life-saving work in Congress.”

After Everytown endorsed Rep. McBath in January, Everytown Victory Fund conducted a multi-million dollar voter mobilization effort in support of McBath, reaching voters through TV ads, mail, digital, and radio ads all backed by a grassroots army of Moms Demand Action volunteers on the doors and making phone calls to voters. Rep. McBath, a former employee of Everytown, is a survivor of gun violence, after her son, Jordan Davis, was shot and killed at a gas station in Jacksonville, Florida, in 2012 by a man who thought his music was playing too loud. 

Over the past three cycles, Everytown For Gun Safety Action Fund and Victory Fund have spent $9 million to elect and re-elect Rep. McBath, ensuring her continued leadership on behalf of survivors and the gun violence prevention movement. When she decided to run for Congress in 2018, Everytown worked aggressively to help her flip Georgia’s 6th Congressional District, running a $4 million paid communication campaign across digital, mail, TV, radio and phones in addition to email and SMS communication to in-district Everytown members. Everytown Victory Fund ran a similar program for her 2020 reelection campaign, spending $3 million across digital, TV, radio and direct mail. Moms Demand Action and Students Demand Action volunteers made tens of thousands of calls and texts to support Rep. McBath and Moms Demand Action founder Shannon Watts held virtual campaign events with her.

Rep. McBath has pushed gun violence prevention to the forefront, introducing the Federal Extreme Risk Protection Order Act and ensuring the House passed H.R. 8, which would require background checks on all gun sales, and H.R. 1446, which would address the “Charleston Loophole.” 

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. In 2020, forty-three Moms Demand Action volunteers ran for office and won their races, including Rep. McBath.
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. The program will invest $3 million in educational training and mentorship opportunities for grassroots volunteers considering campaigns at the local, state, and federal levels. Since the launch of Demand a Seat, hundreds of people have expressed interest and more than 250 people have participated in the program from 41 states, including 120 gun violence survivors. Rep. McBath has also addressed the group to share her own journey to elected office. More information on Demand a Seat can be found here.