Moms Demand Action Volunteers Win Elections Across Virginia
11.8.2023
Newly Elected Volunteers Join Growing Ranks of Moms Demand Action Volunteers Elected to Office Since Its Founding in 2012, Part of 162 Volunteers who Ran for Office Nationwide This Cycle
WASHINGTON — 17 Virginia Moms Demand Action volunteers won elections up and down the ballot across the Commonwealth yesterday, highlighting the growing political power of Moms Demand Action volunteers as candidates for office and the electoral strength of Everytown for Gun Safety Victory Fund’s “Demand a Seat” candidate training program. Nine volunteers won their races for the state legislature, including Joshua Cole, whose victory in HD-65 helped flip the House. Eight of the nine candidates were newly elected. Additionally, eight Moms Demand Action volunteers won critical races at the local level.
“I’m so thrilled for the volunteers who took the safety of their communities into their own hands by stepping up to run for office,” said Angela Ferrell Zabala, executive director of Moms Demand Action. “Virginia voters are fed up with the threat gun violence poses to their schools and communities. Over the past 10 years, Moms Demand Action volunteers have changed the calculus on gun safety in Virginia and across the country, turning good policy into good politics while going toe to toe with the NRA in their backyard. That’s why it’s so exciting to see our volunteers take the next step in their advocacy as they move from fighting for good gun laws to writing them.”
“Moms Demand Action volunteers have been walking the walk on gun safety for years, so it’s no surprise their promise to move heaven and earth to prevent gun violence resonated with Virginia voters,” said John Feinblatt, president of Everytown for Gun Safety. “We’re proud to see so many Moms Demand Action volunteers win across the Commonwealth, and Virginians can count on them to prioritize the safety of their communities. ”
2023 Virginia Moms Demand Action volunteer victories:
- Karen Keys-Gamarra, Virginia State House, District 7
- Laura Cohen, Virginia State House, District 15
- Rozia Henson, Virginia State House, District 19
- Kannan Srinivasan, Virginia State House, District 26
- Atoosa Reaser, Virginia State House, District 27
- Fernando “Marty” Martinez, Virginia State House, District 29
- Amy Laufer, Virginia State House, District 55
- Joshua Cole, Virginia State House, District 65
- Shelly Simonds, Virginia State House, District 70
- Juli Briskman, Loudoun County Supervisor, Algonkian District
- Sylvia Glass, Loudoun County Supervisor, Broad Run District
- Laura TeKrony, Loudoun County Supervisor, Little River District
- April Chandler, Loudoun County School Board, Algonkian District
- Anne Donohue, Loudoun County School Board, At-Large
- Kenny Boddye, Prince William County Supervisor, Occoquan District
- Deshundra Jefferson, Prince William County Supervisor, Chair
- Jessica Schneider, Chesterfield County Supervisor, Clover Hill District
Everytown for Gun Safety Victory Fund launched “Demand a Seat,” a program to train grassroots volunteers and gun violence survivors to take the next step in their advocacy efforts by running for office and working on campaigns to elect gun sense candidates. Since 2017, hundreds of volunteer leaders with Moms Demand Action, the grassroots network of Everytown for Gun Safety Action Fund, have run for elected office and dozens have won seats – from town council and school board to U.S. Congress. More than 275 volunteers and gun violence survivors ran in the 2021-22 election cycle and 158 won their races. More information on Demand a Seat can be found here.