Ryan Nicol
Fred Guttenberg, whose daughter, Jaime, was killed seven months ago in the shooting at Stoneman Douglas High School, and other parents who lost children in the tragedy endorsed incumbent Democratic U.S. Sen. Bill Nelson at an event Friday afternoon.
Guttenberg also laid into Nelson’s Republican opponent, Gov. Rick Scott.
“In Florida, under Rick Scott, nothing was done on guns or school safety after prior incidents like Pulse or the Fort Lauderdale airport shooting,” Guttenberg said. “Perhaps, had more been done previously I would only be known as the same small group of families that knew me as Jesse and Jaime’s dad.”
Guttenberg praised Nelson for his support of universal background checks and banning assault weapons, and blasted his GOP opponent for his refusal to enact common-sense gun safety measures.
The event was held at the Marriott Coral Springs. Guttenberg followed the announcement with a Twitter post reiterating the endorsement, noting several other Parkland families were also in attendance.
U.S. Rep Ted Deutch, who serves the 22nd Congressional District, which covers Parkland, also spoke to the crowd gathered at the Marriott.
“Don’t let people tell you the issue of gun violence has fallen by the wayside,” Deutch said, according to Kara Voght of Mother Jones.
“It’s not what I see, it’s not what I hear.”
Voght also posted comments from Guttenberg himself, where he spoke of the loss of his daughter and why he now seeks stricter gun control measures.
“For those who want to know why I’ve become active in the issue of gun safety and why I call for an ‘orange wave‘ in November, it’s because I start my days at a cemetery. When I think about Jaime running down the hallway and running for her life with an active shooter at her back until ‘boom,’ a single shot to her spinal cord, she needed only one more second to be safe, I have no choice.
“When we know that had the issues of guns been previously dealt with in this state that this issue could have been prevented, I have no choice.”
Proud to announce that I just endorsed @SenBillNelson for reelection to the Senate. I was joined by other Parkland families as well. Now we get to work. pic.twitter.com/848Fkq01sx
— Fred Guttenberg (@fred_guttenberg) September 14, 2018
