Letters: Pa. Democrats taking aim at gun violence

For many years, the issue of gun violence has been ignored by Republican and Democratic candidates in the belief that it was not a winning issue. This year feels different, and the biggest reason is that Hillary Clinton has made gun violence prevention a priority. Pennsylvania Democrats such as Josh Shapiro for attorney general, Mary Ellen Balchunis for the U.S. House of Representatives in the Seventh District, West Chester Mayor Carolyn Comitta for the state House, and Marty Molloy of Wallingford for the state Senate have been champions for the cause.

Shapiro opposes a bill that would give the National Rifle Association the right to sue cities and towns for passing gun laws tougher than state law. His opponent, Republican state Sen. John Rafferty, is an NRA supporter.

Balchunis vows to bring universal background checks to a vote in the House. Comitta, an original member of Mayors Against Illegal Guns, helped get a law passed requiring the reporting of lost and stolen guns. Molloy has lost students to senseless gun violence.

For these reasons, the Chester County Coalition to Prevent Gun Violence endorses these candidates. It is up to us to get them into office so that they can begin the work of saving lives.

Tom Buglio, West Chester