Six candidates – all touched by gun violence – receive crucial, early support and resources to
lead the fight for a safer America
Today, Brady PAC, the political arm of the Brady Campaign, announced its first wave of endorsements for the 2026 election cycle, backing six candidates whose lives have been directly impacted by gun violence. The move highlights Brady PAC’s strategy to strongly support leaders with lived experience who are pushing for stronger gun safety laws in Congress and in statehouses.
The initial endorsements include four incumbent members of Congress, one new congressional candidate, and one state legislator: U.S. Representatives Lucy McBath (GA-6), Steven Horsford (NV-4), Salud Carbajal (CA-24), and Veronica Escobar (TX-16), congressional candidate Phil Andrew (IL-9), and Tennessee State Representative Shaundelle Brooks (HD-60).
“The time for thoughts and prayers is over. America needs leaders who know the pain of this preventable epidemic and who will fight like hell every day to end it,” said Fred Guttenberg, senior advisor to Brady PAC and Parkland survivor. “These candidates are the true faces of the gun violence prevention movement, and Brady PAC will proudly stand with them as we work to reclaim a gun violence prevention majority in the U.S. House and local governments across the country.”
“When I walk the halls of Congress, I carry the memory of my son Jordan, and the millions of Americans who have been impacted by preventable gun violence. Brady PAC’s endorsement is vital in ensuring that Jordan’s voice — and the voices of every victim and survivor — are never silenced by the gun lobby. When we take back Congress in 2026 with Brady’s support, I will be leading the fight to pass universal background checks, ban assault weapons, and make every Georgia community safe. Our children deserve no less,” said Representative Lucy McBath (GA-6).
“Brady PAC’s endorsement amplifies our shared commitment to preventing gun violence and championing the rights and safety of every individual,” said TN State Representative Shaundelle Brooks. “With their support, and the backing of our community, we stand united in our mission to create a legacy of peace, to honor not just for my son Akilah but for all lives touched by violence. Together, we’re not just envisioning a safer future; we’re laying the groundwork for it, policy by policy, conversation by conversation.”
One of the leaders celebrating Phil Andrew’s endorsement by Brady PAC includes former Illinois State Senator Dan Kotowski. “Phil Andrew has been on the frontlines of public safety for nearly four decades. This endorsement by Brady PAC affirms that no one has more experience and dedication to gun violence prevention policy, its creation and enforcement. From fighting for safe firearm storage and Red Flag laws, tackling hate crimes and mass violence, and battling terrorism and the corruption of gun industry money in politics, Phil has led the way in keeping dangerous weapons from dangerous people. As a former FBI hostage negotiator and a survivor of a mass shooting himself, Phil is the resilient, powerful and expert voice we need in Washington DC to guide our country and end the crisis of gun violence – the leading cause of death of children in America.”
Candidate Backgrounds
- Lucy McBath (GA-6): First elected in 2018 following the murder of her son Jordan Davis in 2012 for “loud music,” McBath has become one of the most prominent gun violence prevention voices in Congress.
- Steven Horsford (NV-4): His father Gary was shot and killed during a robbery at his job in 1992, a tragedy that shaped Steven Horsford’s exceptional career of public service to the people of Nevada.
- Salud Carbajal (CA-24): At age 12, Carbajal found his sister after she died by firearm suicide, a tragedy that drives his leadership on extreme risk protection orders and other prevention-focused policies.
- Veronica Escobar (TX-16): She continues to honor the 23 individuals killed in the 2019 El Paso shooting – the deadliest attack on Latinos in modern American history – with action to enact stronger gun laws including the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act.
- Phil Andrew (IL-9): A mass shooting survivor at age 20, Andrew went on to fight for the safety of others as a FBI special agent and hostage negotiator. He is running for Congress for the first time.
- Shaundelle Brooks (TN-HD-60): She entered public office after losing her son Akilah Dasilva in the 2018 Nashville Waffle House shooting. Brooks has become a leading state and national voice in the fight to free America from gun violence.
Brady PAC works to elect gun violence prevention leaders up and down the ballot who will enact life-saving policies and hold the gun industry accountable. It upholds the ideals championed by its partner Brady, the nation’s oldest gun violence prevention organization.
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