Gabby Giffords joins wave of well-known Democrats to visit Seattle

Odds are good that Washington state will once again be a heavy blue once the dust settles from the Nov. 8 election, but that hasn’t stopped some of most well-known Democrats from stopping by to promote left-leaning candidates and initiatives.

Former Arizona Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords was among the latest visitors, leading a rally alongside Gov. Jay Inslee Saturday at the First United Methodist Church in Seattle to support Initiative 1491. Modeled after domestic violence restraining orders, the “extreme risk protection order” would allow family members and law enforcement to petition a judge to temporarily suspend a person’s access to firearms if the court finds that he is a threat to himself or others.

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Washington was part of a six-week, 14-state tour where Giffords is encouraging voters to support “common-sense change” to gun laws. Giffords, a long-time gun owner, has become a leader in stricter gun laws since being shot in the head at near point-blank range on Jan. 8, 2011 at an event in Tucson, co-founding the gun-violence-prevention group Americans for Responsible Solutions two years later. Jared Loughner is serving a life sentence for wounding 13 people and killing six in that shooting.

Excited to be back in Washington State today to stand w/ @JayInslee & @WaGunResponsib to ask WA voters to vote #YesOn1491 & help save lives. pic.twitter.com/VesxyD9Ipd

— Gabrielle Giffords (@GabbyGiffords) October 23, 2016

Giffords joined a list of prominent liberals to visit the Seattle over the past few weeks, as the Nov. 8 election ballot deadline nears. On Oct. 14, presidential nominee Hillary Clinton held a fundraiser at the Paramount Theater, and her daughter Chelsea Clinton held a get-out-the-vote rally at Town Hall Seattle on Oct. 22 alongside U.S. Sen. Patty Murray. Sen. Bernie Sanders was at The Showbox on Oct. 15, campaigning with Pramila Jayapal, who is running for Congress in Washington’s 7th District. Her opponent, and fellow Democrat, Brady Walkinshaw hosted former Massachusetts congressman and LGBT advocate Barney Frank on Oct. 21.

Although Donald Trump and his son, Donald Trump Jr., have spoken with KIRO Radio’s Dori Monson, the Republican presidential nominee’s visits to Washington were outside the city, in Spokane, Lynden, and Everett.

Washington state has not voted for a Republican presidential candidate since 1984 and has had a Democrat in the Governor’s house in Olympia for the last 36 years. Giffords’ appearance could boost Inslee, who is in one of the most heated partisan battles against Republican Bill Bryant. Inslee received the endorsement of The Seattle Times on Friday and topped Bryant 49 to 38 percent in the primaries.

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