Governor Kathy Hochul, Everytown-Supported Gun Sense Candidate, Wins in New York

Moms Demand Action and Students Demand Action Volunteers Made Over Six Million Voter Contacts to Support Gun Sense Candidates Across the Country

ALBANY, N.Y. — Everytown for Gun Safety Action Fund and its grassroots networks, Moms Demand Action and Students Demand Action, declared a major victory today as voters rejected gun lobby-backed Lee Zeldin and elected Kathy Hochul as Governor of New York. 

“During her time in office, Governor Hochul has championed and signed a robust slate of laws that will keep New Yorkers safe from gun violence,” said John Feinblatt, president of Everytown for Gun Safety. “As a New York-based organization, Everytown was proud to support Governor Hochul’s campaign, and we’re eager to work with her to keep New Yorkers safe from gun violence.”

“Under her leadership as New York’s Governor, Kathy Hochul has made New York safer. From cracking down on ghost guns to expanding the state’s red flag law to raising the minimum age to purchase semi-automatic rifles, she has always put public safety ahead of gun lobby profits, ” said Shannon Watts, founder of Moms Demand Action. “With her win tonight, New Yorkers have shown that they expect gun safety to be top of mind for their leaders. Our volunteers were proud to get out the vote for Governor Hochul and we look forward to continuing to work with her to advance gun safety in the state of New York.”

“Governor Hochul has shown what true leadership looks like in the fight to end gun violence. She knows the toll that gun violence takes on our communities, and we know that she will continue to fight for our safety in office,” said Shenee Johnson, a volunteer with the New York chapter of Moms Demand Action whose fiance, Shonnon Kittrell Day, was shot and killed in 2003, and whose 17-year-old son, Kedrick Ali Morrow Jr., was shot and killed in 2010. “We’ll continue to work with her every step of the way as she fights for the common-sense gun laws that we need.” 

After the Supreme Court’s flawed decision in New York State Rifle & Pistol Association v. Bruen, Governor Hochul quickly took action to strengthen New York’s concealed carry permitting process and designated sensitive locations in which guns cannot be carried. Governor Hochul recognizes that keeping our communities safe means stopping gun violence before it happens, which is why she’s prioritized improving the state’s implementation of its Red Flag law, which gives families, law enforcement, and others who recognize dangerous warning signs a way to temporarily prevent those who pose a serious risk of harming themselves or others from accessing firearms.

Everytown, Moms Demand Action and Students Demand Action volunteers have put their grassroots power behind Governor Hochul, knocking on doors, making phone calls and sending texts in support of her campaign. Moms Demand Action founder Shannon Watts also joined Governor Hochul for a press conference on combating gun violence in New York and across the country.