Everytown for Gun Safety has endorsed Gov. Kathy Hochul for re-election, citing her administration's gun-safety policies as the New York governor's race moves toward November.
Hochul's campaign announced the endorsement September 14 and circulated statements from Everytown leaders and the governor. It is an endorsement by the advocacy organization, not a new state policy or program.
Angela Ferrell-Zabala, executive director of Moms Demand Action, an Everytown affiliate, credited Hochul with backing laws intended to reduce gun violence. Monisha Henley, Everytown's senior vice president for government affairs, said in a separate statement that the group wanted Hochul to serve another term.
Everytown specifically pointed to efforts to restrict 3D-printed firearms and remove illegal guns as reasons for its support. The group's statements framed those issues as a contrast with Blakeman, but did not identify a newly enacted measure or provide a detailed comparison of the candidates' proposals.
Hochul thanked the organization and pointed to gun seizures, state public-safety spending and changes in shooting trends during her administration. Her campaign said more than 10,000 illegal guns had been taken off the streets, more than $4 billion had been invested in public safety and shootings with injuries had fallen 60% statewide. The campaign release did not provide the periods or underlying data for those comparisons, so they remain campaign claims rather than independently established figures in this report.
The release also criticized Republican opponent Bruce Blakeman over his gun-policy positions. Those allegations were made by the Hochul campaign and Everytown; the release did not include a response from Blakeman. The endorsement itself does not establish the accuracy of either side's claims about his positions.
Everytown's leaders said they view the race as a choice over the future of New York's gun laws. The organization did not describe an endorsement vote, campaign spending plan or other activities associated with its support in the announcement.
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