Grandmothers Against Gun Violence (GAGV) has announced its support for 96 candidates on Washington State’s November ballot.
In making its determination, GAGV legislative committee members carefully reviewed all candidates’ public positions and statements on gun safety and violence prevention. Based on an in-depth analysis, GAGV has identified 58 incumbents and 35 challengers for endorsement or recognition, including endorsing Jay Inslee for Washington Governor and Bob Ferguson for State Attorney General. The organization is also endorsing Joe Biden for President and Kamala Harris for Vice President of the United States.
The complete list of GAGV candidates can be found here.
All Washington State Senate and House incumbents were reviewed based on their voting records and support of five key pieces of gun legislation during the 2020 legislative session, specifically:
- Establishing a single point of contact for background checks;
- Eliminating firearms in childcare centers;
- Continuing background checks for purchasers of gun parts;
- Allowing the Washington State Patrol to destroy guns used in crimes; and
- Establishing the Office of Firearm Violence Prevention.
Non-incumbents were evaluated based on their public statements concerning gun violence and prevention and alignment with GAGV’s mission.
“In endorsing and recognizing candidates, we applied clear, consistent, and measurable criteria aligned with our mission to eliminate gun violence in America through advocacy, research, and public education,” said GAGV Co-Chair Margaret Heldring. “In this unprecedented partisan political era, it is more vital than ever that we elect leaders who are informed and committed to passing responsible, commonsense, and enforceable gun laws.”
About Grandmothers Against Gun Violence
Founded in 2013 after the tragic Sandy Hook Elementary School shootings, Grandmothers Against Gun Violence is a Seattle-based grassroots advocacy organization actively supporting legislation, research, and education to reduce gun violence in all communities. With more than 1,200 members in 30 states, GAGV recognizes the intergenerational nature of the gun violence prevention movement and actively collaborates with people of all ages and life experiences, as well as like-minded community organizations, to further commonsense gun legislation at the local, state, and national levels. For more information, please visit the Grandmothers Against Gun Violence website.