Former Rep. Gabby Giffords joined Democratic congressional candidate Rebecca Bennett on Wednesday for a roundtable discussion on gun violence prevention, using the event to criticize Rep. Tom Kean, Jr. (R-Westfield) and call for stronger federal gun safety laws.
Bennett, a former Navy helicopter pilot challenging Kean in New Jersey’s 7th district, was joined by gun violence prevention advocate Kim Banks, Assemblyman Vinnie Kearney, Union County Sheriff Peter Corvelli, and Union County Commissioner Kimberly Palmieri-Mouded.
Palmieri-Mouded announced her candidacy for State Senate in the 21st district last week.
“In Congress, I am committed to fighting to pass commonsense legislation to keep our kids safe and get weapons of war off of our streets,” Bennett said.
Giffords, a former Arizona congresswoman who survived a 2011 assassination attempt and became a nationally prominent gun control advocate, praised Bennett’s military and healthcare experience.
“Rep. Kean has shown he won’t show up for New Jersey families, but will side with the gun lobby and take orders from President Trump,” Giffords said. “The stakes of this race couldn’t be higher, and Rebecca Bennett is the champion the Garden State needs in Washington to build a safer future.”
Banks, who founded One Family One Fight after her son, Samaad, was killed in Somerset in 2019, endorsed Bennett, citing her commitment to protecting children.
In 2018, Giffords, the gun safety advocacy group she founded with her husband, now-U.S. Senator Mark Kelly (D-Arizona), endorsed Rep. Leonard Lance (R-Clinton Township) for re-election on the 7th district.
