Giffords is an American advocacy and research organization focused on promoting gun control. The organization draws its name from one of its co-founders, Gabby Giffords, a former Democratic member of the U.S. House of Representatives. Rep. Giffords was shot along with 18 others at a constituent meeting in Tucson in 2011. [1] The organization has three parts: a 501(c)(4) lobbying arm, a 501(c)(3) research arm, and a super PAC. It was previously known in a different configuration as Americans for Responsible Solutions.
Giffords has written that when she and her husband, Mark Kelly, launched the organization, they "wanted to prove that it's possible to stand up for the Second Amendment while also standing up for stronger gun laws that keep us safe." The mission of the organization is to shift American gun culture through information and challenge the injustice of special interests risking individual safety all while changing U.S. policies to support safer gun laws. [2] [3] [4]
The organization known as Giffords began as a nonprofit and super PAC Americans for Responsible Solutions (ARS) which Giffords launched with her husband, retired astronaut and U.S. Navy aviator (and future United States Senator) Mark Kelly in 2013 shortly after the Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting. In its first electoral cycle, Kelly said the organization aimed to devote as much money to support pro-gun control candidates as the National Rifle Association of America (NRA) had spent in the 2012 election. [5] In 2016, ARS merged with the Law Center to Prevent Gun Violence, adding legal expertise and state-level research on gun laws to its work. [6] In 2017, the group changed its name from Americans for Responsible Solutions to Giffords. [1]
Giffords works on a range of issues to curb gun violence including requiring criminal background checks for gun purchases, reducing gun trafficking, conducting gun violence research, and regulating semi-automatic assault weapons. [7] Giffords has played a role in passing more than 200 new gun laws in 45 states and Washington, D.C. [8]
Through the Giffords Law Center to Prevent Gun Violence, the organization releases an annual scorecard to consider the "relative strength or weakness" of gun laws in each state as well as the rate of gun deaths. [9] [10] The Giffords Law Center also files amicus curiae briefs and takes other legal action to protect, enforce and strengthen gun regulations. [11] [12]
Giffords supports candidates with gun control in their platforms through its super PAC. [13] The PAC spent $8 million in the 2014 election cycle on independent expenditures for and against 20 candidates. [14] The largest share of the group's spending was in the race for the House seat previously held by Gabrielle Giffords in Arizona's second district. The group supported the incumbent, Democrat and Giffords's former aide Ron Barber, against Republican Martha McSally. McSally narrowly won the seat. [15] Overall during the 2014 election cycle, the PAC devoted $4.9 million to oppose Republican candidates, $2.4 million in support of Democratic candidates and $860,000 in support of Republican candidates. [14]
In 2016, Giffords spent more than $2 million supporting New Hampshire Democrat Maggie Hassan in her bid to unseat Republican Sen. Kelly Ayotte, who had voted against expanding background checks for gun purchases. [16] Hassan won the seat. [8] The PAC also endorsed Republicans including two senate candidates, Pat Toomey of Pennsylvania and Mark Kirk of Illinois. [17] Giffords and Kelly wrote that Toomey and Kirk "broke from the gun lobby" to support a bill to close the gun-show loophole. [18] They also supported the Democratic candidate in two Senate races as well as a handful of House contests. Overall, Giffords spent $2.7 million on political races in 2016. [19]
Giffords supported two gubernatorial candidates in 2017 who supported stronger gun laws. Ralph Northam in Virginia and Phil Murphy in New Jersey, both Democrats, won their races. [20] [21]
In 2018, the PAC continued to endorse and support candidates on both sides of the aisle, including three Republican candidates they identified by focusing on legislation that broke with Republican orthodoxy[ tone ] on guns laws. [22] The organization particularly faced criticism over its endorsement of incumbent Republican Leonard Lance in New Jersey's 7th District over Democratic challenger Tom Malinowski. [23] It was noted that both Lance and Malinowski supported gun legislation favored by Giffords. In the 2018 election Malinowski unseated Lance as Democrats took back the majority in the House of Representatives.
As of June 2018, the group had raised nearly $13 million and had donated more than $177,000 directly to federal candidates. [22] As part of its 2018 campaign work, Giffords worked with VoteVets to rally support for seven congressional candidates who support stronger gun laws. All seven are Democrats. [24] The group also dedicated millions to successfully unseat four NRA-backed incumbent House members. [25] [26]
Commentators and editorial pages noted that work by Giffords and other gun violence prevention organizations had been a powerful element in the 2018 election cycle. The Washington Post editorial board cited the work of Giffords and wrote that the election marked a "shift in the politics of gun control; no longer is it a third rail to be avoided at all costs." [27] NPR reported that 95 candidates endorsed by Giffords PAC won House seats. [28] According to the AP VoteCast election day survey, 61% of voters said gun laws should be more strict. [29]
In addition to endorsing and supporting state and federal candidates and lobbying for stronger gun laws, Giffords and Kelly have spoken out about the need to intensify our response to outbursts of gun violence. Immediately following the 2017 mass shooting in Las Vegas, Ms. Giffords issued a statement that she was praying for her former colleagues in Congress to "find the courage it will take to make progress on the challenging issues of gun violence." In a press conference on the steps of the U.S. Congress, Kelly echoed the call for more action, saying, "All we're hearing is thoughts and prayers...Your thoughts and prayers aren't going to stop the next shooting." [30]
The group has also participated in a range of state and national advocacy campaigns and events. In March 2018, when survivors of the mass shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida organized the March for Our Lives, Giffords helped bring more than 200 people from Parkland to participate. The organization has helped link local and regional groups into a campaign to register voters in the hopes of removing NRA-backed lawmakers from office. Giffords has also brought together former military commanders and other veterans to urge political leaders to address America's 'gun violence crisis.' [31] [32] [33]
The National Rifle Association of America (NRA) is a gun rights advocacy group based in the United States. Founded in 1871 to advance rifle marksmanship, the modern NRA has become a prominent gun rights lobbying organization while continuing to teach firearm safety and competency. The organization also publishes several magazines and sponsors competitive marksmanship events. According to the NRA, it had nearly 5 million members as of December 2018, though that figure has not been independently confirmed.
Mark Edward Kelly is an American politician, former astronaut, and United States Navy captain who has served as the junior United States senator from Arizona since 2020. A member of the Democratic Party, he was elected in the special election held following the death of Senator John McCain, defeating incumbent Republican Martha McSally.
Gabrielle Dee Giffords is an American retired politician and gun control activist. She served as a member of the United States House of Representatives representing Arizona's 8th congressional district from January 2007 until January 2012, when she resigned because of a severe brain injury suffered during an assassination attempt. A member of the Democratic Party, she was the third woman in Arizona's history to be elected to the U.S. Congress.
Everytown for Gun Safety is an American nonprofit organization which advocates for gun control and against gun violence. Everytown was formed in 2013 due to a merger between Mayors Against Illegal Guns and Moms Demand Action for Gun Sense in America.
The Giffords Law Center to Prevent Gun Violence, previously known as the Legal Community Against Violence and the Law Center to Prevent Gun Violence, is a national public interest law center and nonprofit organization that promotes gun control legislation in the United States and conducted litigation against the gun industry. The Giffords Law Center publishes information about gun laws and gun control. The organization offers legal assistance to public officials, and publishes research on gun laws and gun violence. The organization is currently led by former US Congresswoman Gabby Giffords.
Ronald Sylvester Barber is an American politician. He was a member of the United States House of Representatives from 2012 to 2015. Barber, a member of the Democratic Party from Arizona, served as district director for U.S. Representative Gabby Giffords before Giffords resigned her seat due to the severe injuries she sustained in an assassination attempt, during which Barber was also injured. He won the Democratic nomination for the special election to finish Giffords's term and was sworn into office on June 19, 2012.
The National Association for Gun Rights (NAGR) is a gun rights advocacy group in the United States. They maintain an affiliated PAC and a nonprofit legal foundation. Officially incorporated in Virginia on March 29, 2000, NAGR was founded by Dudley Brown as a national companion organization to Rocky Mountain Gun Owners. NAGR is a rival to the more moderate National Rifle Association of America (NRA) and considers itself to be a more "conservative alternative" to the NRA. The group spends most of its energy focused on lawmakers and moderates who are deemed too compromising on Second Amendment issues. This is achieved via direct mail, robocalls and low-cost television ads. The group has gained notoriety for its lobbying tactics and attack ads.
The 2016 United States Senate election in New Hampshire was held November 8, 2016, to elect a member of the United States Senate to represent the State of New Hampshire, concurrently with the 2016 U.S. presidential election, as well as other elections to the United States Senate in other states and elections to the United States House of Representatives and various state and local elections. The primary election to select the candidates who appeared on the general election ballot took place on September 13, 2016.
Americans for Responsible Solutions (ARS) was a United States non-profit organization and super PAC that supports gun control. The group's stated goal was "to encourage elected officials to stand up for solutions to prevent gun violence and protect responsible gun ownership." It typically supported Democratic politicians in elections. In 2016, the organization merged with the Law Center to Prevent Gun Violence to become Giffords.
The 2018 United States Senate election in Virginia took place on November 6, 2018, to elect a member of the United States Senate to represent the Commonwealth of Virginia, concurrently with other elections to the U.S. Senate, elections to the United States House of Representatives, and various state and local elections. Incumbent Democratic Senator Tim Kaine, who had been his party's unsuccessful nominee for vice president two years earlier, was re-elected to a second term in office, winning this seat by the largest margin since 1988. This was the first election since 1994 that anyone had been re-elected to this seat.
The 2018 United States House of Representatives election in Montana was held on November 6, 2018, to elect the U.S. representative from Montana's at-large congressional district. The election coincided with other elections to the House of Representatives, elections to the United States Senate, and various state and local elections.
A special election for Arizona's 8th congressional district was held in 2018 subsequent to the resignation of Republican U.S. Representative Trent Franks. Governor Doug Ducey called a special primary election for Tuesday, February 27, 2018, and a special general election for the balance of Franks' eighth term for Tuesday, April 24, 2018.
The Jewish Democratic Council of America (JDCA), also known as "Jewish Dems", is an organization that defines itself as "the voice for Jewish Democrats and socially progressive, pro-Israel, and Jewish values". It was announced in August 2017, and officially launched in November 2017. JDCA was incorporated in Washington, D.C., in June 2017. JDCA has 13 chapters and affiliates across the United States.
The Political Victory Fund (NRA-PVF) is the political action committee (PAC) of the National Rifle Association of America (NRA). Founded in 1976, the Fund endorses political candidates on behalf of the NRA and contributes money to those candidate's campaigns. It maintains a rating system which awards grades to political candidates based on their support or opposition of gun control measures.
The 2020 United States Senate special election in Arizona was held on November 3, 2020, following the death in office of incumbent Republican U.S. Senator John McCain on August 25, 2018. Governor Doug Ducey was required by Arizona law to appoint a Republican to fill the vacant seat until a special election winner could be sworn in. On September 5, 2018, Ducey appointed former U.S. Senator Jon Kyl to fill McCain's seat. However, Kyl announced he would resign on December 31, 2018.
The 2022 United States Senate election in Arizona was held on November 8, 2022, to elect a member of the United States Senate to represent the state of Arizona.
The 2024 United States Senate election in Nevada will be held on November 5, 2024, to elect a member of the United States Senate to represent the State of Nevada. Incumbent Democratic Senator Jacky Rosen, elected in 2018 over incumbent Republican Dean Heller, is seeking a second term in office. Primary elections are scheduled to take place on June 11, 2024.
The 2024 United States Senate election in Texas will be held on November 5, 2024, to elect a member of the United States Senate to represent the state of Texas. Two-term incumbent Republican Senator Ted Cruz is seeking a third term in office. Primary elections took place on March 5, 2024 during Super Tuesday.
The 2022 United States Senate election in New Hampshire was held on November 8, 2022, to elect a member of the United States Senate to represent the State of New Hampshire. The primary elections were held on September 13, 2022. Incumbent Senator Maggie Hassan was re-elected over Republican retired brigadier general Don Bolduc by an unexpectedly large margin of 9.1% that surpassed most polls. Hassan won her initial bid for this seat in 2016 by only 1,017 votes or 0.14%. This election marked the first time a Democrat won re-election to New Hampshire's class 3 Senate seat.
The 2024 United States House of Representatives elections in Illinois will be held on November 5, 2024, to elect the seventeen U.S. representatives from the State of Illinois, one from all seventeen of the state's congressional districts. The elections will coincide with the 2024 U.S. presidential election, as well as other elections to the House of Representatives, elections to the United States Senate, and various state and local elections. The primary elections were held on March 19, 2024.