Gun-Ban Groups Spend Big and Sell Lies To Defeat Pro-Gun Candidates

Gun owners and gun-rights advocates who don’t think America’s gun-ban organizations are serious about putting anti-gun politicians in office at every level of government should consider what one group is doing in just one state.

So-called Everytown for Gun Safety, bankrolled by gun-ban billionaire Michael Bloomberg, recently announced a $1.6 million paid media campaign in Arizona in an effort to turn the 2024 elections into a win for the antis. The campaign will consist of new digital ads and direct mailers encouraging citizens to vote for anti-gun candidates.

“Our polling confirms that the overwhelming majority of Arizona voters are looking for candidates who will fight to keep our schools and our families safe from gun violence,” John Feinblatt, Everytown president, said in a press release. “Everytown is making sure voters know that Arizona communities would be at risk if MAGA Republicans have total control of Phoenix.”

One of the advertisements makes it sound like Republicans side with domestic abusers over abused women, which is an outright lie.

“When an abuser is armed, women are five times more likely to be killed,” a woman’s voice says as the video shows a woman cowering in a corner with her head in her hands. “MAGA Republicans like Jeff Weninger would make it easier for domestic abusers to get guns. Opposing gun safety laws in Phoenix, opposing red-flag laws and making 911 calls for domestic violence even deadlier for women and police. Jeff Weninger won’t keep us safe.”

While Everytown says Weninger wants to arm domestic abusers, a look at his record shows that he has supported every pro-gun measure introduced during his time in the House. That’s not dangerous—that’s protecting Second Amendment rights of Arizona’s lawful citizens.

The recent $1.6 million ad buy in Arizona is just one small part of the war chest Everytown is committing to getting gun-ban proponents elected this year. In June, the group announced it would spend $45 million to “help elect gun sense candidates and defeat gun extremists up and down the ballot in key swing districts and states.” The expenditures are focusing on young voters on college campuses, voters of color and suburban women in the critical states of Arizona, California, Michigan, Minnesota, New York, North Carolina, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin.

Last month, Everytown announced a $7.5 million investment to train and elect Moms Demand Action and Students Demand Action volunteers, including many running in important races across the country.

With gun-banners throwing their wholehearted financial support behind candidates that would further infringe upon our right to keep and bear arms, the question is, what are we going to do about it. There is strength in numbers. Find a pro-gun group that is investing heavily in the election and make a contribution toward that effort. Groups that support the Second Amendment can’t let this critical election slip away because gun-ban organizations outspend them.