Everytown for Gun Safety is launching a $10 million advertising campaign with House Democrats to support former gun safety volunteers running for Congress, according to Axios. The financial commitment aims to assist candidates who previously served as volunteers for Moms Demand Action, a separate gun safety organization. This investment arrives as Democratic leaders express concern over being outspent by opponents in the upcoming midterm elections.
The campaign targets eight specific congressional districts. The candidates included in this effort represent Arizona, Florida, Iowa, Michigan, and Pennsylvania. Specifically, the group is backing JoAnna Mendoza and Pia Dandiya, two representatives from Iowa named Christina Bohannan and Lindsay James, two candidates from Michigan identified as Christina Hines and Rep. Kristen McDonald Rivet, and Paige Cognetti from Pennsylvania. Everytown President John Feinblatt stated that the goal is to flip these seats to counter what he described as a House that has supported the dismantling of federal gun safety laws. Feinblatt noted that a Moms Demand Action volunteer appears on the ballot in every targeted district, and the group is partnering with House Majority PAC to help them win.
Mike Smith, president of House Majority PAC, the main super PAC for House Democrats, framed the campaign as a way to check the power of the current administration and House majority. Smith said in a statement that each seat represents an opportunity to push back against a political dynamic that has prioritized the gun lobby over American families for two years.
The advertising strategy extends beyond traditional gun control messaging. The funds will support TV and digital ads focused broadly on "public safety." This approach includes references to drug trafficking, immigration, crime, and police funding. For example, an ad for Christina Bohannan highlights her platform of working with both parties to secure the border, hire more police officers, and keep illegal guns and fentanyl off the streets.
Similarly, an ad for Paige Cognetti focuses on her anti-corruption record while citing her time as mayor of Scranton. The ad claims she secured millions for police and cut violent crime by 80 percent during her tenure. These broader public safety themes are designed to appeal to voters concerned with multiple aspects of community security rather than a single issue.
The Republican National Committee responded to the announcement with criticism. NRCC spokesman Mike Marinella told Axios that House Democrats have embraced a "radical socialist agenda" that includes abolishing prisons, releasing criminals, and defunding police. Marinella argued that voters will not accept these claims about Republicans who have fought to protect their communities.