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Putting Our Children First: How Gun Safety Became a Nonpartisan Issue that Helped Local Candidates Win

In recent local elections, gun safety became a key issue that transcended party lines, helping a wave of candidates secure victories. For many, it wasn’t just about politics—it was about the safety and well-being of children.

More than half of candidates who received training from Moms Demand Action, a gun safety advocacy group, triumphed in the 2023-24 election cycle. Of the 330 volunteers who ran, nearly 200 of them found success in local offices. Their stories highlight the power of nonpartisan messaging and the importance of focusing on gun safety as a shared concern for communities, regardless of political affiliation.

Nonpartisan Messaging: A Winning Strategy

When it comes to local elections, especially down-ballot races, nonpartisan issues have a unique way of breaking through the noise. The focus on gun safety, framed as a shared goal for all families, proved to be a winning strategy for several candidates who ran under the banner of Moms Demand Action.

Angela Ferrell-Zabala, the executive director of Moms Demand Action, emphasized the significance of these victories. “These are the folks in the community that are closest to the problems,” she explained. “They’re not just talking about policy from a distance—they’re already involved, they’re parents, they’re PTA members, and they see the issues firsthand.”

Sarasota school board election

The successes in Sarasota and Broward counties, both in Florida, exemplified this strategy. Liz Barker, a mother of four and former school psychologist, won a seat on the Sarasota County School Board, defeating a candidate supported by the conservative group Moms for Liberty. Similarly, Rebecca Thompson triumphed over an incumbent in Broward County who had been appointed by Governor Ron DeSantis. Both victories showcased how local candidates, driven by personal experience and a commitment to their communities, used nonpartisan messaging to push back against polarized politics.

Local Impact: Changing the Conversation on Gun Safety

For candidates like Liz Barker, the decision to run for office was deeply personal. A mother of four children, Barker had always been involved in her local community, but it was the growing influence of political ideology in schools that pushed her to take action. “That was the moment that I said enough,” Barker recalled. The politicization of education, particularly around issues such as book bans and curriculum changes, was a tipping point for Barker. She decided that if she wanted to protect her children’s education, she had to step up and get involved.

Barker, who had previously been an active member of her local Moms Demand Action chapter, became part of their Demand a Seat program, which trains candidates to run for office on a platform of gun safety and community well-being. In Sarasota County, where Republicans outnumber Democrats nearly two to one, Barker’s victory was seen as a remarkable achievement, especially against a candidate backed by the powerful Moms for Liberty group.

She focused on a message that resonated across party lines: the safety and education of children. “This is a nonpartisan issue,” Barker said. “Every parent wants the best for their kids, and that’s what I talked about. How can we make our schools safer and ensure that our kids are getting the best education possible?”

School Boards Leading the Charge

School boards across the country have become a critical battleground for gun safety advocates. With guns now the leading cause of death among children in the U.S., school board members have found themselves at the forefront of the fight for safer schools. In districts representing millions of students, school boards are adopting policies to promote safe gun storage, conduct safety drills, and advocate for sensible gun laws.

These local efforts are essential for making tangible change on the ground. By focusing on education and public safety, school board members like Barker can make immediate, impactful decisions that benefit their communities. “Once they get in, they get right to work,” Ferrell-Zabala noted, pointing out that candidates with local ties are often better positioned to understand and address community issues.

In addition to safe storage policies, many school boards are taking steps to educate parents about the importance of gun safety in their own homes. By working closely with organizations like Moms Demand Action, these boards can provide families with resources on how to store guns safely, thereby preventing accidents and tragedies.

The Power of Grassroots Organizing

The success of these local candidates reflects the power of grassroots organizing and the influence of community-based movements. Moms Demand Action’s emphasis on nonpartisan messaging, combined with its support for candidates who are already embedded in their communities, has proven to be a potent formula for success.

For many of the candidates who ran under the Moms Demand Action banner, their campaigns were driven not by party loyalty but by a deep commitment to the safety of their children and the future of their schools. In an era of increasing polarization, the ability to focus on shared values—like protecting children from gun violence—helped these candidates appeal to voters across the political spectrum.

A Growing Trend: Local Wins in the Fight for Gun Safety

The trend of local candidates winning on a platform of gun safety is expected to continue into future election cycles. As gun violence continues to rise, and as more communities experience the devastating effects of school shootings and gun-related accidents, the call for stronger gun safety laws is only getting louder.

For Moms Demand Action, the 2023-24 election cycle was just the beginning. The organization plans to continue supporting candidates who prioritize gun safety, advocating for policies that will help protect children and ensure that schools remain places of learning, not danger.

The success of candidates like Liz Barker and Rebecca Thompson proves that even in a polarized political environment, gun safety can be a unifying issue that brings communities together and creates real change.

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