Gabby Giffords group spending $1 million to criticize Virginia Republican congresswoman on guns
Gabby Giffords, the former Arizona Democratic congresswoman who retired after she was shot at a constituent event, is out with a new ad campaign that accuses Virginia Republican Rep. Barbara Comstock of having "failed" to prevent gun violence.
The new spot, Giffords's first of the cycle, is part of a heavy, $1 million investment in the district by her political action committee. The spot relies on Giffords’s narration along with pictures of student activists and signs counting the National Rifle Association's donations to Comstock.
"What makes America great is the courage to say no problem is too big to solve," she says in the ad.
"But shooting after shooting, Barbara Comstock has failed. She's taken thousands from the NRA. We must do better."
Comstock faces state Sen. Jennifer Wexton in the fall in one of the most Democratic-leaning districts represented by a Republican.
Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton by the district by 10 points in 2016, and a late June poll from Monmouth University found Wexton up between 9 and 11 points depending on the turnout.
Wexton and the other Democrats who ran against her in the primary all hit Comstock for her record on guns during the primary, pointing to her A rating from the NRA and the financial support the group has offered her throughout her career.
Even so, Comstock is no stranger to a tough fight—she's bested serious opposition in each of her two federal elections and argues that she's proven to be a strong representative for her suburban constituents.
Comstock has not made guns a centerpiece of her campaign, but she's pointed to her support for improving background checks as well as the STOP School Violence Act. That measure, among other things, promotes grants for school safety training and improvements, but did not include specific gun control measures.
She's also emphasized her commitment to law enforcement during the campaign, winning the endorsement of the Virginia Police Benevolence Association this week.
“Barbara Comstock is the only candidate in this race who has authored, co-sponsored and worked across the aisle to pass, and get signed into law, three important gun violence prevention measures to crack down on gun crime, provide more resources for school safety, improve the background check system, and keep our communities safe,” Susan Falconer, Comstock’s campaign manager, said in a statement responding to the ad.
“Since her days as a senior Justice Department official, Barbara has fought for protecting our families, law enforcement, and public safety, and that advocacy has earned her the endorsement from the Virginia and Fairfax Police Benevolent Associations once again.”