{"id":2316210,"date":"2024-07-30T18:04:01","date_gmt":"2024-07-30T22:04:01","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wife-of-vp-contender-mark-kelly-is-a-force-herself-washington-examiner\/"},"modified":"2024-07-30T18:07:40","modified_gmt":"2024-07-30T22:07:40","slug":"wife-of-vp-contender-mark-kelly-is-a-force-herself-washington-examiner","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wife-of-vp-contender-mark-kelly-is-a-force-herself-washington-examiner\/","title":{"rendered":"Wife of VP contender Mark Kelly is a force herself &#8211; Washington Examiner"},"content":{"rendered":"<aside class=\"mashsb-container mashsb-main mashsb-stretched\"><div class=\"mashsb-box\"><div class=\"mashsb-count mash-medium\" style=\"float:left\"><div class=\"counts mashsbcount\">26<\/div><span class=\"mashsb-sharetext\">SHARES<\/span><\/div><div class=\"mashsb-buttons\"><a class=\"mashicon-facebook mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservativenewsdaily.net%2Fbreaking-news%2Fwife-of-vp-contender-mark-kelly-is-a-force-herself-washington-examiner%2F\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Facebook<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-twitter mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/intent\/tweet?text=&amp;url=https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/?p=2316210&amp;via=ConservNewsDly\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Twitter<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-subscribe mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"#\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Subscribe<\/span><\/a><div class=\"onoffswitch2 mash-medium mashsb-noshadow\" style=\"display:none\"><\/div><\/div>\n            <\/div>\n                <div style=\"clear:both\"><\/div><\/aside>\n            <!-- Share buttons by mashshare.net - Version: 4.0.47--><p>The article discusses Gabrielle Giffords, a prominent\u2062 advocate for \u2063gun control and the wife of Senator Mark Kelly, who is being considered\u200c as a potential running mate for Vice President Kamala\u200c Harris. Giffords, a former\u2064 congresswoman, survived a 2011 assassination\u2063 attempt \u2063that left her partially paralyzed and impacted her speech. Despite\u200c these challenges, \u200dshe has emerged as a strong force in the fight against gun violence, leading an organization that has significantly influenced gun legislation\u200b across several states.<\/p>\n<p>Giffords \u2063has actively \u200dcampaigned for Harris, making appearances in critical battleground\u200b states and \u200badvocating for stricter gun laws. Her organization recently announced a $15 million campaign \u2063to support Harris and House \u200dcandidates who promote gun control. Giffords emphasized\u200b the urgency of action \u200bagainst gun violence in her speeches, highlighting her personal experience with political \u200cviolence.<\/p>\n<p>As Senator Kelly\u2019s <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/trump-asking-his-allies-about-possibly-picking-nikki-haley-as-vp-report\/\" title=\"Trump inquiring about choosing Nikki Haley as VP, per report\">potential vice presidential candidacy<\/a> is weighed, Giffords&#8217;s\u2064 prominence and advocacy\u200c work are seen as significant assets. Her history of resilience and dedication to\u200b public safety has garnered respect and support across the political spectrum, further enhancing\u200b Kelly&#8217;s prospects as a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/ron-desantiss-possible-2024-bid-shapes-up-as-political-headaches-mount\/\" title=\"Ron DeSantis&#039;s possible 2024 bid shapes up as political headaches mount\">vice presidential contender<\/a>. \u2063Giffords continues to confront \u2062political adversaries and engage in activism, reinforcing her influence within the Democratic Party.  <\/p>\n<p class=\"readmore\">\n    <button onclick=\"showReadMore()\" id=\"readmorebtn\">Read more&#8230;<\/button>\n<\/p>\n<hr id=\"line\">\n<span id=\"more\"><\/p>\n<p><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><\/p>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><span class=\"tdb-mobile-menu-button\"><i class=\"tdb-mobile-menu-icon td-icon-mobile\"><\/i><\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><span class=\"tdb-header-search-button-mob dropdown-toggle\" data-toggle=\"dropdown\"><i class=\"tdb-mobile-search-icon td-icon-search\"><\/i><\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><span class=\"tdb-mobile-menu-button\"><i class=\"tdb-mobile-menu-icon td-icon-mobile\"><\/i><\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\">\n<div class=\"tdb-drop-down-search\" aria-labelledby=\"td-header-search-button\">\n<div class=\"tdb-drop-down-search-inner\">\n<form method=\"get\" class=\"tdb-search-form\" action=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/\"><\/form>\n<div class=\"tdb-aj-search\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/#\" role=\"button\" aria-label=\"Search\" class=\"tdb-head-search-btn dropdown-toggle\" data-toggle=\"dropdown\"><i class=\"tdb-search-icon td-icon-search\"><\/i><\/a><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\">\n<h1 class=\"tdb-title-text\">&lsquo;Two for one&rsquo;: Gabby Giffords, wife of VP contender Mark Kelly, is a force herself<\/h1>\n<div><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-title-line\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\">\n<div id=\"Brid_1717559\" class=\"tpd-featured-video bridtv\"><\/div>\n<p>As Vice President <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/kamala-harris\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title=\"Kamala Harris \">Kamala Harris <\/a>and her team weigh her running mate options, one of her top contenders, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/mark-kelly\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title=\"Kamala Harris \">Sen. Mark Kelly (D-AZ)<\/a>, comes with a powerful spouse, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/gabby-giffords\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title=\"former Rep. Gabrielle Giffords (D-AZ)\">former Rep. Gabrielle Giffords<\/a>, a leader in the movement to end gun violence after she survived an assassination attempt in 2011.<\/p>\n<p>Giffords, who married Kelly in 2007 and <a href=\"https:\/\/giffords.org\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title>leads<\/a> a national gun control organization, has been hitting the campaign trail for Harris in battleground states, with stops in Grand Rapids, Michigan, on Monday and last week in Philadelphia. According to Giffords aides, the former Arizona congresswoman&rsquo;s appearances had long been planned even before her husband was <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/campaigns\/presidential\/3101306\/mark-kelly-vice-president-border-czar-harris\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title>under consideration<\/a> to be Harris&rsquo;s running mate.<\/p>\n<p>Her organization <a href=\"https:\/\/www.foxnews.com\/politics\/giffords-group-spend-15-million-support-harris-anti-gun-candidates\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title>announced<\/a> a $15 million campaign last week to help boost Harris and House candidates in battleground districts who have been advocating stricter gun laws. The group spent over $11 million in the 2020 campaign, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.opensecrets.org\/political-action-committees-pacs\/giffords-pac\/C00540443\/summary\/2020\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title>according <\/a>to campaign finance records.<\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;We are at a crossroads,&rdquo; Giffords said at the event in Grand Rapids. &ldquo;We let the shooting continue, or we can act. We can protect our families, our future. We can vote. We can be on the right side of history. Please join us in this fight.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<p>Giffords was nearly killed after being shot in the brain during a 2011 mass shooting at a constituent meeting outside a supermarket in Tucson, Arizona. Six people died, including one of Giffords&rsquo;s aides, Gabe Zimmerman.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Vice President Kamala Harris participates in a ceremonial swearing-in of Sen. Mark Kelly (D-AZ) with his wife, Gabrielle Giffords, in the Old Senate Chamber on Tuesday, Jan. 3, 2023, on Capitol Hill in Washington. (AP Photo\/Jacquelyn Martin)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p><strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/campaigns\/presidential\/3094678\/mark-kelly-top-names-harris-vp-short-list\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">WHO IS MARK KELLY? MEET ONE OF THE SIX TOP NAMES ON HARRIS&rsquo;S VP SHORT LIST<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Eight months after the shooting, Giffords attempted to return to her work as a congresswoman to cast a vote on the debt ceiling, but she decided to resign a year later. The shooting left her partially paralyzed on her right side, and the bullet destroyed portions of her brain that enabled her to speak fluently.<\/p>\n<p>The former congresswoman had been seen as a rising star in the Democratic Party, and the shooting changed the trajectory of her life.<\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;The irony is she would have been the senator from Arizona had she not been shot,&rdquo; said Chuck Coughlin, a longtime Republican strategist in Arizona who left the party during the Trump era. &ldquo;She was being that bipartisan compromiser, everyone was looking at her and her bright political future.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<p>The organization Giffords founded in the wake of the shooting is a commanding force that has been involved in passing hundreds of laws at the state level to restrict access to firearms. In 2023, the group was able to trace some of its lobbying efforts back to $1 billion in community safety gun grants and $75 million in federal research on gun violence. In addition, 460 Giffords-backed candidates were elected to state or federal offices, according to <a href=\"https:\/\/time.com\/6274979\/gabby-giffords-gun-control\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title>reporting<\/a> from <em>Time<\/em>, since last year, when the organization turned 10 years old.<\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;Anyone that knows Gabby Giffords, certainly anyone that knows Gabby Giffords well, isn&rsquo;t the least bit surprised that after a decade with her sunny, incredibly sunny disposition, the glass-is-half-full approach to life and to any problem, that Giffords has had the success that it&rsquo;s had,&rdquo; Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz (D-FL) said in an <a href=\"https:\/\/time.com\/6274979\/gabby-giffords-gun-control\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title>interview<\/a> with <em>TIME<\/em>.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Gun violence survivor and former Rep. Gabrielle Giffords, right, sits next to Gov. Gretchen Whitmer (D-MI), left, during a rally supporting gun reform legislation on Wednesday, March 15, 2023, at the Michigan State Capitol in Lansing, Michigan. Giffords joined lawmakers and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/mothers-against-murderers-push-gun-control-in-florida\/\" title=\"&#039;Mothers Against Murderers&#039; Push Gun Control in Florida\">gun violence prevention groups<\/a> to demand action on gun safety. (AP Photo\/Carlos Osorio)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>Wasserman Schultz&rsquo;s friendship with Giffords dates back to when they were first serving in their respective state legislatures. The Florida congresswoman <a href=\"https:\/\/www.jta.org\/2024\/07\/23\/politics\/mark-kelly-a-potential-harris-vp-pick-has-a-jewish-spouse-with-a-striking-story-gabby-giffords\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title>flew<\/a> to her bedside after the 2011 shooting and was there when she first opened her eyes.<\/p>\n<p>Beyond campaigning for Harris, Giffords has been in the spotlight recently in light of several current events. She was among the first to speak out after <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/campaigns\/presidential\/3082215\/trump-assassination-attempt-four-ways-change-november\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title>the assassination attempt <\/a>on former President Donald Trump, the Republican presidential nominee.<\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;Political violence is terrifying. I know,&rdquo; Giffords<a href=\"https:\/\/x.com\/GabbyGiffords\/status\/1812266601053405691\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title> said on X<\/a>. &ldquo;I&rsquo;m holding former President Trump, and all those affected by today&rsquo;s indefensible act of violence in my heart. Political violence is un-American and is never acceptable &mdash; never.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<p>As Harris&rsquo;s team weighs its choices for a running mate, some believe Kelly&rsquo;s vice presidential chances are boosted by his wife&rsquo;s star power and advocacy. Many are highlighting his willingness to stand by her, and even at times in her shadow.<\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;I still can picture him holding her hand as she testified at congressional hearings,&rdquo; a Democratic strategist with ties to Arizona said, speaking under condition of anonymity. &ldquo;He&rsquo;s been her biggest supporter over the years. I think the Harris team has to be taking that into consideration since the person chosen as vice president will need to be able to take orders and be in the shadow of a woman. That sounds simple, but it&rsquo;s never been done in the history of our country before, if Harris is elected.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<p>Giffords is already getting a head start going on offense against Republican vice presidential nominee J.D. Vance, who has been at the center of a firestorm over his&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/politics\/3097594\/the-view-takes-offense-vances-childless-cat-ladies-comment-how-dare-you\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">resurfaced remarks<\/a>&nbsp;that the country was being run by &ldquo;childless cat ladies.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<p>She sounded off on social media, slamming his comments. Giffords and Kelly have previously opened up about their heartbreak about not being able to have children after the shooting.<\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;Vice President&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/x.com\/KamalaHarris\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">@KamalaHarris<\/a>&nbsp;is a proud mom of two remarkable stepchildren&mdash;and so am I,&rdquo; Giffords wrote on X. &ldquo;<a href=\"https:\/\/x.com\/CaptMarkKelly\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">@CaptMarkKelly<\/a>&nbsp;and I were trying to have a baby through IVF before I was shot and that dream was stolen from us. To suggest we are somehow lesser is disgraceful.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<p>Not only has Kelly found support from Democrats after being elected to the Senate in 2020 and winning a full term in 2022, but many view him and Giffords favorably across the aisle as well.<\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;She&rsquo;s a beloved figure in Arizona politics, both Republican and Democrat,&rdquo; Coughlin said. &ldquo;I mean, at least traditional Republicans. If Harris chooses Kelly, he&rsquo;s sort of getting a two-for-one deal.<\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;You would think that his personal testimony of what his family has been through &mdash; and not to mention he&rsquo;s a big gun owner himself, a fighter pilot, an astronaut &mdash; it&rsquo;s unbelievable the kind of cache he brings to the table,&rdquo; Coughlin added.<\/p>\n<p><strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"><\/a><\/strong>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>At the event last week in Philadelphia, Giffords demurred when asked whether she had considered becoming the second lady, if her husband was chosen as the Democratic vice presidential nominee and elected. However, she spoke highly of her husband.<\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;He is my best friend, he is so funny, funny, funny,&rdquo; she said. &ldquo;I love him a lot.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<p> <script data-cfasync=\"false\" src=\"http:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/cdn-cgi\/scripts\/5c5dd728\/cloudflare-static\/email-decode.min.js\"><\/script><script>!function(){var g=window;g.googletag=g.googletag||{},g.googletag.cmd=g.googletag.cmd||[],g.googletag.cmd.push(function(){g.googletag.pubads().setTargeting(\"has-featured-video\",\"true\")})}();<\/script><script>var _bp=_bp||[];_bp.push({\"div\":\"Brid_1717559\",\"obj\":{\"id\":\"27789\",\"width\":\"1280\",\"height\":\"720\",\"stickyDirection\":\"below\",\"video\":\"1717559\"}});<\/script><script defer src=\"https:\/\/services.brid.tv\/player\/build\/brid.min.js\"><\/script><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<p><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>**&#8221;Two for One&#8221;: Gabby Giffords, the wife of VP hopeful Mark Kelly, is a formidable advocate herself**<\/p>\n<p>As Vice President Kamala Harris and her team consider potential running mates, one of the leading candidates, Senator Mark Kelly (D-AZ), is accompanied by a strong partner: former Representative Gabrielle Giffords. Giffords has emerged as a prominent figure in the fight against gun violence after surviving an assassination attempt in 2011. Married to Kelly since 2007 and currently heading a national gun control organization, she has been actively campaigning for Harris in key states, including recent visits to Grand Rapids, Michigan, and Philadelphia.<\/p>\n<p>Giffords&#8217; appearances were planned well before her husband was considered for Harris&#8217;s ticket. Her organization recently launched a $15 million campaign aimed at supporting both Harris and House candidates advocating for stricter gun laws in competitive districts. In the previous election cycle of 2020, they invested over $11 million.<\/p>\n<p>At an event in Grand Rapids, Giffords emphasized the urgency of action against gun violence: \u201cWe are at a crossroads&#8230; We can protect our families and our future. We can vote. We can be on the right side of history.\u201d She was nearly killed during a mass shooting while meeting constituents outside a Tucson supermarket that resulted in six fatalities.<\/p>\n<p>Eight months post-shooting, Giffords attempted to return to Congress but ultimately resigned due to her injuries that left her partially paralyzed and affected her speech capabilities. Many believe she would have been Arizona&#8217;s senator had it not been for this tragedy; she was seen as an emerging bipartisan leader within the Democratic Party.<\/p>\n<p>The organization founded by Giffords has played an influential role in enacting numerous state-level laws aimed at limiting firearm access. In 2023 alone, their lobbying efforts contributed to significant funding initiatives related to community safety and research on gun violence.<\/p>\n<p>Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz (D-FL), who has known Giffords since their time together in state legislatures and supported her after the shooting incident said that those familiar with Giffords are not surprised by her success given her optimistic outlook on life.<\/p>\n<p>Recently active amid various current events surrounding political violence\u2014she condemned remarks made by Republican vice presidential nominee J.D. Vance regarding &#8220;childless cat ladies,&#8221; sharing personal insights about her own struggles with motherhood following the shooting incident.<\/p>\n<p>Supporters view both Kelly\u2019s Senate victories\u2014first elected in 2020 followed by winning his full term\u2014and his relationship with Giffords favorably across party lines; many see him as benefiting from being associated with such an admired figure like his wife within Arizona politics.<\/p>\n<p>While attending events alongside him last week where she praised him humorously as \u201cmy best friend,\u201d when asked if she&#8217;d consider becoming Second Lady if he were elected vice president she remained noncommittal but expressed deep affection for him<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2657,"featured_media":2316211,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_mo_disable_npp":"","fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/07\/Giffords-campaigning-2022-scaled-1024x683.webp","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[538],"tags":[36704,35898,36633],"class_list":["post-2316210","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-washington-examiner","tag-gila-river-indian-community","tag-mark-kelly","tag-vp-contender"],"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/07\/Giffords-campaigning-2022-scaled-1024x683.webp","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2316210","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2657"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2316210"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2316210\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2316211"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2316210"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2316210"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2316210"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}