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Everytown, Pennsylvania Moms Demand Action: Victory for Gun Safety As Gun Sense Candidate Tom Wolf Wins Governor’s Race, Bob Casey Wins Re-Election to U.S. Senate

11.6.2018

HARRISBURG – Everytown for Gun Safety Action Fund and the Pennsylvania chapter of Moms Demand Action for Gun Sense in America today declared victory as gun safety champions Governor Tom Wolf and Senator Bob Casey were re-elected. Wolf defeated Scott Wagner, who was endorsed by the NRA.

In addition, Everytown-endorsed candidates for Congress including Congressman Brian Fitzpatrick (PA-01), Chrissy Houlahan (PA-06), Susan Wild (PA-07), Congressman Matt Cartwright (PA-08) and Congressman Conor Lamb (PA-17) also won their races, demonstrating that voters support elected officials who will stand up to the gun lobby and take action to protect Pennsylvania families and communities from gun violence.

Moms Demand Action volunteers and gun violence survivors knocked doors and phonebanked for gun sense candidates across Pennsylvania, while Everytown for Gun Safety Action Fund spent more than $200,000 on independent expenditures including mail and digital advertisements to support Wolf.

“Last month, Governor Tom Wolf signed a life-saving law to keep guns away from domestic abusers,” said John Feinblatt, president of Everytown for Gun Safety. “In re-electing Governor Wolf, Pennsylvania voters made it clear they expect their leaders to build on that momentum and take action to prevent tragedies like the Tree of Life shooting in Pittsburgh.”

“I am thrilled that Pennsylvanians voted for gun sense champions like Governor Wolf and Senator Casey, who will work to keep our families safe and prevent further senseless acts of violence,” said Deb Marteslo, volunteer leader with the Pennsylvania chapter of Moms Demand Action for Gun Sense in America. “Today’s election result make clear that supporting gun safety is not only the right thing to do, but is also a winning electoral issue. As our state recovers from the tragedy at the Tree of Life Synagogue, Moms Demand Action volunteers look forward to working with these leaders to better protect our communities’ safety.”

“After my mother’s death, I know all too well the devastation of gun violence,” said Gina Pelusi, a volunteer with the Pennsylvania chapter of Moms Demand Action for Gun Sense in America and a member of the Everytown Survivor Network whose mother was shot and killed in Virginia in 2014. “I am heartened that we’ve elected leaders in Pennsylvania, starting with Governor Wolf and Senator Casey, who are committed to working hard to make sure what happened to my family, and what happened in Pittsburgh, never happens again.”

Wolf and Casey received Everytown’s endorsement as well as the Moms Demand Action Gun Sense Candidate Distinction and have proven themselves to be strong supporters of common-sense gun safety measures. Wolf recently signed a bipartisan, lifesaving domestic violence bill that will prohibit anyone convicted of a misdemeanor crime of domestic violence or subject to a domestic violence protection order from purchasing a gun.