Everytown Backs Eight Democrat Candidates With $10M Spending Blitz
Everytown for Gun Safety is pouring $10 million into congressional races to elect at least eight Democratic candidates, according to reporting from Axios. The gun control group's spending includes support for Paige Cognetti, the sitting mayor of Scranton, Pennsylvania, who has publicly stated she would "love" a world without armed police officers and armed citizens.
Key Details
$10 million commitment spans multiple congressional races across the country. Paige Cognetti is among the eight Democrat candidates receiving Everytown backing; she currently serves as mayor of Scranton, Pennsylvania. Cognetti has made public statements advocating for eliminating armed police and civilian gun ownership—a position well outside mainstream Democrat politics, let alone general American opinion on Second Amendment rights.
Why It Matters for Gun Owners
This spending signals Everytown's willingness to back candidates with extreme anti-gun positions at the federal level. Cognetti's stated desire to disarm both law enforcement and private citizens represents an escalation beyond typical gun control rhetoric. If elected to Congress, such candidates could vote for confiscatory measures, ammunition taxes, licensing schemes, or outright bans. Gun owners in Pennsylvania and other target states should scrutinize their local races and understand which candidates receive Everytown funding—a reliable indicator of their Second Amendment stance. This level of spending also demonstrates that gun control groups view the 2026 midterms as critical to their agenda.
DownRange Analysis
Everytown's strategy here is transparent: deploy capital in winnable races behind candidates who will vote reliably against gun rights. Cognetti's extreme public statements make her a test case—if voters reject her despite $10 million in support, it signals limits to gun control money's effectiveness. If she wins, expect more candidates with similar views to emerge. Gun owners need to treat Everytown funding as a red flag during candidate research. The group's willingness to back someone openly hostile to armed self-defense suggests they're confident in their electoral math. Stay informed on your local races.
