2018 General Election Elected 54 — 43

Gunning for gun safety

  • Columbine High School
  • Sandy Hook Elementary School
  • The Aurora movie theater
  • The Church in Charleston
  • The festival in Las Vegas
  • The nightclub in Orlando
  • Parkland High School

Not a full list. 

Before redistricting, Columbine was in Colorado’s sixth Congressional District.  Aurora still is.  Gun safety is always an issue in the sixth Congressional District.  It is especially an issue 2018.Jason Crow https://jasoncrowforcongress.com/ — formerly an Army Ranger, winner of the Bronze Star, hunter, son of a blue collar family, Obama supporter at the 2012 Democratic convention.  He was moved to run for Congress by the 2016 election.  Many who were similarly moved focused on health care or on immigrants or the dangers of racism or the dangers of sexism.  Crow focused on gun safety.

Interviewed on the topic, Crow said:  “It’s now gotten to the point where this constant flow of shootings in the country has now impacted people ….we think about this all the time. Loud noises happen in a crowd and at public events … [I]nstead of people thinking …. Maybe someone dropped something,’ people think about a gun…. [Our proposal] calls for … universal background checks, a ban on military-style assault weapons, magazine limitations, closing the gun show loophole, addressing “no fly, no buy,” overturning the Dickey Amendment, and better checks and mental health reforms.”  The proposal also includes a red flag law to allow courts to take guns from people who are seen as a danger to others or to themselves. 

Jason Crow‘s choice to emphasize gun safety is risky politics in Colorado.  State legislators have been recalled for voting in state level gun safety laws.  The Republican incumbent, supported by the NRA, has been impervious to opponents attacks. 

To minimize vulnerability, the incumbent has developed his own, much more modest, proposals regarding gun safety.  He is vulnerable on other issues, too.  He was the only Colorado Member of Congress to vote for the Republican plan to replace the Affordable Care Act with a proposal that was not particularly affordable and provided less health care. 

Jason Crow persists.  Thirty-eight years old, with two children. His children’s school has drills to prepare for a possible school shooter.  Jason Crow shares the horror of suburban parents at the possibility of a school shooting.  This time, he thinks.  This time, with him and his military record, gun safety is a winning issue.  Hillary carried the district by seven points in 2016.  The incumbent carried the district by five.  Not this time, says Jason Crow.

Jason Crowhas other issues.  Like virtually every other Congressional candidate, he promises improved services for veterans.  He means it.  He has a record here.  He has served on the Colorado Board of Veterans Affairs.  He worked to address homelessness and opioid addition.  He was also instrumental in moving aveterans medical center to a new site in Aurora.

Jason Crow‘s website outlines the values that guide his campaign:

  • Increase trust in government through campaign finance reform and addressing foreign campaign meddling and governmental conflicts of interest.
  • Protect the environment through clean energy and restoring our commitment to the Paris Climate Agreement.
  • Support workers through an increase in the minimum wage, through support for health care, and through strengthened bargaining rights. Support small businesses through a tax plan that helps them rather than the wealthy. Support everyone through accessible higher education, diverse post secondary opportuities like apprenticeships, and fixing the student loan problem.
  • Protect social security, Medicare, and Medicaid.
  • End mass incarceration while helping those released from prison, reduce mandatory minimum sentences, decriminalize marijuana, and provide the resources to police to focus on serious crime.

At this time and in this place, Jason Crow https://jasoncrowforcongress.com/ has a great opportunity to represent Colorado and have a long term impact on the national conversation about gun safety.  Help him with that.  We need him in Congress.  Like every Democratic Congressional candidate, he is facing National PACs trying to keep Congress Republican.  Our resources are the antidote to those PACs.

 

Remember August 7.  This is a special election.   Franklin County (Columbus, Ohio) Recorder Danny O’Connor  https://dannyoconnorforcongress.com/is running for the open 12th Congressional seat.  The most recent poll shows him behind by two points.  He has come up with a distinctive appeal as he asks for the resources he needs to close out the race and get to a majority.  He suggests that a Democratic victory would make Democratic defections in the battle over the confirmation of Brett Kavanaugh to the Supreme Court less likely.  Whether that reasoning is persuasive or not, O’Connor’s race is close.  Money sent directly to his campaign can make a difference in getting out the vote and other late efforts. Don’t underestimate Danny O’Connor.  Don’t assume that he has the money he needs, either.