Major Gun Safety PACs Throw Weight Behind 96 Illinois General Assembly Candidates Ahead of November Election (Chicago, IL) — With the upcoming November general election looming, two of the nation’s most prominent gun violence prevention organizations have formally joined forces to back a sweeping slate of legislative candidates in Illinois.
The Gun Violence Prevention PAC of Illinois (G-PAC) and GIFFORDS PAC announced their joint endorsement of 96 candidates running for the Illinois General Assembly. The sweeping move is part of a coordinated strategy to defend and maintain the strong gun safety majorities currently holding power in Springfield.
The announcement highlights the organizations’ ongoing mission to elect lawmakers committed to enacting common-sense gun safety measures. The alliance between the two political action committees is not new; G-PAC and GIFFORDS PAC have been partnering since 2015 to identify and elevate legislative candidates in Illinois who are willing to champion gun control legislation and stand against the deep-pocketed gun lobby.
G-PAC, founded in 2013 by survivors of gun violence, has long been the state’s leading advocacy group focused on curbing illegal firearms and dismantling gun trafficking networks. GIFFORDS PAC brings significant national weight to the coalition, having been founded by former U.S. Representative Gabrielle Giffords, who survived a horrific assassination attempt in 2011 and subsequently transformed her tragedy into a nationwide movement for safer communities.
“The candidates we are endorsing in this election are dedicated to protecting more children, teens, families and Illinois communities from gun violence,” Kathleen Sances, President and CEO of G-PAC, said in a statement accompanying the endorsements. Sances emphasized the high stakes of the upcoming ballot, adding, “We are working hard to ensure Illinois maintains a majority of elected leaders this November who have the courage and commitment to stand up to the gun lobby and vote to save lives”.
For Illinois, the endorsements come at a critical juncture. Over the past decade, the state has positioned itself as a legislative fortress for gun control in the Midwest, passing landmark bills to ban the sale of assault-style weapons, crack down on untraceable “ghost guns,” and mandate universal background checks. The 96 candidates endorsed by the coalition represent the vanguard expected to protect these hard-won legislative victories from conservative repeal efforts, while also pushing forward new initiatives.
Former Congresswoman Giffords highlighted this localized momentum, praising the state’s trajectory. “For years, Illinois has been at the forefront of the fight for safer communities thanks to the hard work of its leaders and advocates,” Giffords stated. “The candidates we are endorsing today alongside our partners at G-PAC will build on that progress”.
Giffords also pointed to the specific legislative priorities the PACs hope these candidates will champion if elected or re-elected, notably highlighting the need to “continue to invest in community violence intervention programs and strengthen state laws”. Community violence intervention (CVI) programs, which focus on de-escalation and providing social resources directly to individuals at the highest risk of shooting or being shot, have become a cornerstone of the modern gun safety movement’s public health approach to urban violence.
G-PAC previously announced its slate of endorsements for statewide executive offices, backing incumbent Governor JB Pritzker and his new running mate, Christian Mitchell, for Lieutenant Governor. The organization has also thrown its support behind incumbent Attorney General Kwame Raoul, Secretary of State Alexi Giannoulias, Treasurer Michael Frerichs, and Margaret Croke, who is running for Comptroller.
GIFFORDS PAC has mirrored several of these top-of-the-ticket endorsements, officially backing Pritzker, Mitchell, and Raoul as part of their broader national strategy to ensure gun safety champions secure powerful statewide offices.
As voters head to the polls this November, the combined financial and organizational weight of G-PAC and GIFFORDS PAC will serve as a formidable counterweight to Second Amendment advocacy groups. For the 96 endorsed General Assembly candidates, the backing signals a clear mandate to voters: a vote for their campaign is a vote for sustained, rigorous gun control in Illinois.
“This fall, it’s crucial that we maintain strong gun safety majorities,” Giffords noted. “I look forward to working with these candidates to protect everyday Illinoisans.“
Major Gun Safety PACs Throw Weight Behind 96 Illinois General Assembly Candidates Ahead of November Election
