Everytown for Gun Safety is endorsing Rob Menendez for Congress in the 8th District, citing his commitment to address gun violence.
By John Heinis/Hudson County View
“Throughout his campaign, Rob has shown that he understands the urgency of addressing our national crisis of gun violence,” Moms Demand Action Founder Shannon Watts, the grassroots arm of Everytown for Gun Safety, said in a statement.
“We need more gun sense champions in Congress, and electing moral leaders like Rob is critical to achieving that. New Jersey’s 8th Congressional District will be the better for Rob’s presence and positions on common-sense gun safety. Rob has engaged our members throughout the district and has demonstrated the leadership that we need to save lives and end the senseless violence that is happening throughout the country. I know that Rob’s door will always be open for our members and that he will be a great advocate for us.”
Everytown for Gun Safety was founded in 2013, shortly after the Sandy Hook school shooting, to counter right-wing gun advocacy organizations like the NRA. It has since grown into a movement of nearly 10 million supporters.
“Everytown for Gun Safety has had a profound impact in the fight against gun violence, including the successful enactment of the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act,” added Menendez.
“We cannot allow gun violence to define our lives as we should not fear sending our kids to school, going to the grocery store, or attending our places of worship. We have to get weapons of war off of our streets and enact measures like a federal assault weapons ban to keep our cities and towns safe. I am greatly honored to have earned Everytown’s support and I look forward to working with their team to protect our communities from the devastating effects of gun violence.”
Everytown’s advocacy, combined with the efforts of other gun violence prevention organizations led to the successful passage and signing into law of the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act, the first major gun violence prevention legislation in decades.
In June, Menendez called the U.S. Supreme Court’s ruling on New York State Rifle & Pistol Association Inc. v. Bruen. “unprecedented, irresponsible, and dangerous” and was also endorsed by gun safety group Brady PAC last month.
Menendez is the odds on favorite to succeed U.S. Rep. Albio Sires, who is expected to again run for West New York mayor in May, in one of the bluest districts in the country after winning the primary with ease.
His main November 8th general election challenger is Republican Marcos Arroyo, who doesn’t have a campaign website or any social media pages dedicated to his candidacy.
Menendez is a lawyer at Lowenstein Sandler LLP, a Port Authority commissioner, and the son of U.S. Senator Bob Menendez (D-NJ).
