Tallahassee Mayor Andrew Gillum, the Democrat running to be Florida’s next governor, has reeled in the support of former U.S. Rep. Gabrielle Giffords, D-Ariz., as she continues to push for more gun control across the nation.
Giffords’ namesake PAC threw its support behind Gillum on Wednesday. The former congresswoman, who was the victim of a shooting in 2011, and her husband astronaut Cpt. Mark Kelly endorsed the Democrat.
“As mayor of Florida’s capital city, Andrew Gillum has witnessed the deadly cost of the state’s weak firearm laws over the past several years, which has made him a vocal supporter of strengthening Florida’s gun laws. He knows that we can do more to protect Florida families while respecting the Second Amendment. Andrew will fight for expanding background checks and funding gun violence intervention programs in impacted communities while opposing efforts to arm teachers. As Floridians from all walks of life rise up to demand action on the gun violence crisis, Andrew has the courage to lead them towards a better, safer future,” the PAC noted in its endorsement.
“America experienced three of the deadliest mass shootings in modern history over one five month span.. Over 38,000 people in our country were killed by a gun in 2016. Florida has not been immune to this deadly crisis—somebody is killed by a gun in the state every three hours. Andrew understands the toll this epidemic takes on Florida communities,” Giffords herself said.
“We are endorsing Andrew today because he acknowledges the heartbreak gun violence causes in his state, and he is working to stop it. His leadership will be critical for our next victories in Florida to prevent future tragedies. Giffords is proud to back Andrew Gillum, who has the courage to stand up to the corporate gun lobby.”
Polls show Gillum with the lead over former U.S. Rep. Ron DeSantis, R-Fla. They are scheduled to meet in a debate on Wednesday night.
