Gun safety advocacy group, Giffords, endorses Debbie Mucarsel-Powell’s U.S. Senate bid

One of the nation’s most prominent gun safety advocate groups is endorsing former U.S. Rep. Debbie Mucarsel-Powell’s campaign for Senate.

Giffords, where Mucarsel-Powell worked after leaving Congress, will back the Miami Democrat as she challenges Republican U.S. Sen. Rick Scott.

The group’s founder, former U.S. Rep. Gabby Giffords, offered high-praise to Mucarsel-Powell.

“Florida has been home to some of the worst instances of gun violence in American history, yet leaders across the state continue to put their political interests over public safety. It’s time we send committed gun safety champions to Washington instead — starting with my friend Debbie Mucarsel-Powell,” the Arizona Democrat said.

“I am incredibly proud to endorse Debbie because I have seen the passion she brings to this fight. In Congress, she was a leading voice for gun violence prevention and helped pave the way for historic progress in the fight to save lives. For the past two years, we have also been lucky to have Debbie leading our work in the Sunshine State as a vital part of the GIFFORDS team. In this role, she’s been unparalleled in her efforts to bring communities together and make real change for everyday Floridians. As a mother and as a survivor of gun violence herself, I know that Debbie will always put the safety of our children and families first. With her leading the way in the Senate, real progress will be possible.”

Mucarsel-Powell was a top recruit for the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee. She unseated Republican U.S. Rep. Carlos Curbelo in 2018, a couple of years before being defeated by Miami-Dade Mayor and now-U. S. Rep. Carlos Giménez, a Republican.

It’s not a complete shock that Giffords as an organization will back Mucarsel-Powell

After her time in Congress, Mucarsel-Powell joined Giffords as a senior advisor. Last year, she launched and helped lead the organization’s first state-level program in Florida.

When Mucarsel-Powell was 24, her father, Guido Mucarsel Yunes, was shot and killed outside his home in Ecuador. When she launched her campaign for Senate this week, she stressed how that experience shaped her life.

“I lost my own father to gun violence. That’s why l fight every day to keep our children and our communities safe,” she said in a campaign video. “And I’m not afraid to take on Rick Scott or anyone that doesn’t put Florida first.”

Giffords herself survived a shooting in 2011, when a gunman at a Tucson town hall event attempted to assassinate the Congresswoman. The shooter killed six others, including a federal judge, a 9-year-old girl and one of Giffords’ staffers.