Washington, D.C., September 18, 2023 – Brady PAC today announced 41 endorsements of Virginia legislative candidates, each of whom is critical to Brady PAC’s 2023 election campaign mission to protect the Virginia Senate, create a gun safety majority in the Virginia House of Delegates, and protect all Virginians from a potential rollback of public safety policies by Governor Glenn Youngkin-aligned extremists.
Brady PAC, the political arm of Brady, was created in 2018 to counter the gun industry lobby’s dark money Super PACs. Brady PAC endorses gun violence prevention (GVP) champions who support common-sense gun safety policies, including universal background checks, safe storage, and a ban on new assault weapons.
“Virginia is the home of the National Rifle Association, which takes aim every day at common-sense laws that prevent gun violence and needless tragedies. But Virginia is also the home of champions and leaders who are demanding change and who will not back down” said Kris Brown, Brady PAC Chair and Brady President. “We will not allow the gun lobby to dismantle the progress that Virginia has already made to stop senseless deaths and devastation. Brady endorses these candidates because they are committed to upholding existing common-sense legislation and pushing forward new protections to save lives.”
“An overwhelming majority of Virginians support gun violence prevention policies. Unfortunately, they don’t have an ally in the governor’s mansion, and putting radical pro-gun industry extremists in charge of the General Assembly would be deadly,” said Ashley Lantz, Brady PAC’s executive director. “We must make sure that the tragedies in Charlottesville, Chesapeake, Richmond, and Newport News never happen again. That starts with electing policymakers who will prioritize keeping Virginia families and communities safe.”
Within the past year, there have been nearly 20 mass shootings in Virginia, in addition to every day gun violence and firearm suicides, making it more critical than ever to protect and elect gun violence prevention champions to the General Assembly. Brady PAC, and its partner Brady, will take every step possible to protect existing public safety laws passed in 2020 – such as universal background checks and extreme risk protection orders – and build on them with even stronger reforms to save lives.
“Brady’s endorsed candidates in Virginia are true leaders in every sense of the word. They have, and they will, prioritize Brady’s life-saving policies including universal background checks and concealed carry restrictions,” said Martina Leinz, Brady Virginia president. “We must build on the groundbreaking gun violence protection action in 2020 and usher in reforms that voters want and need. We at Brady look forward to welcoming these champions to the General Assembly.”
Brady PAC’s Virginia Legislative Endorsed Candidates include:
Senate
- Sen. Monty Mason, SD-24
- Jennifer Boysko, SD-38
- Sen. Louise Lucas, SD-18
- Sen. Scott Surovell, SD-34
- Sen. Creigh Deeds, SD-11
- Sen. Adam Ebbin, SD-39
- Sen. David Marsden, SD-35
- Sen. Barbara Favola, SD-40
- Del. Jennifer Carroll Foy, SD-33
- Sen. Jeremy McPike, SD-29
- Sen. Ghazala Hashmi, SD-15
- Del. Danica Roem, SD-30
- Del. Angelia Williams Graves, SD-21
- Del. Lashrecse Aird, SD-13
- Russet Perry, SD-31
- Del. Schuyler VanValkenburg, SD-16
- Joel Griffin, SD-27
House of Delegates
- Del. Patrick Hope, HD-1
- Fernando “Marty” Martinez, HD-29
- Joshua Cole, HD-65
- Leonard Lacey, HD-64
- Jessica Anderson, HD-71
- Amy Laufer, HD-55
- Michael Feggans, HD-97
- Del. Sam Rasoul, HD-38
- Rodney Willett, HD-58
- Del. Michelle Maldonado, HD-20
- Del. Mamie Locke, HD-23
- Del. Don Scott, HD-80
- Del. Charniele Herring, HD-4
- Del. Elizabeth Bennett-Parker, HD-5
- Del. Dan Helmer, HD-10
- Del. Cliff Hayes, HD-91
- Del. Marcus Simon, HD-13
- Del. Alfonso Lopez, HD-3
- Del. Marcia Price, HD-85
- Del. Karrie Delaney, HD-67
- Del. Kelly Convirs-Fowler, HD-96
- Joshua Thomas, HD-21
- Joel Griffin, SD-27
- Travis Nembhard, HD-22
- Rob Banse, HD-30
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Brady PAC is dedicated to a singular goal: creating a safer America by supporting and investing in candidates who are committed to enacting, improving, and defending Gun Violence Prevention (GVP) policies across the country. It upholds the policy ideals championed by its sister organization – one of the nation’s oldest GVP grassroots advocacy organizations.
