This week U.S. Senator Chris Murphy of Connecticut will join several other national Democrats, gun control advocates and progressive groups, in a one-day fundraiser for eight candidates who are challenging Republican members of Congress in November’s election. The Republicans all have “A” ratings from the National Rifle Association.
Murphy has been a strong gun control advocate ever since he arrived in the U.S. Senate shortly after the 2012 Newtown school shooting. He’s up for reelection this November. But he’s facing a challenge from Republican Matt Corey, who is hardly known in the state. Murphy said recently that’s why he’s spending time on helping other Democrats get elected, nationally and on the state level.
“I know that the Trump agenda will become the law here in Connecticut if we don’t have a state government that is fighting as hard as Senator Blumenthal and I are fighting in Washington. So that’s the reason why I’m active in a lot of different campaigns, as it’s legally allowable here in Connecticut.”
The online campaign to raise funds for the eight Democrats, known as the "NR8," running for Congress against NRA-supported Republicans will be on Friday. Murphy says it’s the first major fundraising campaign involving all the gun safety groups in the country. He says it’s an effort to show that the gun-control lobby has political clout, and can help flip the U.S. House and maybe also the U.S. Senate.
Other Democrats involved in the effort include Senators Kirsten Gillibrand of New York, Cory Booker of New Jersey, and Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts. Former Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton is also involved.
