The political arm of Everytown for Gun Safety plans to spend $9 million to boost Democratic candidates in state legislative contests in five states, the group's first investment in such races this election cycle. “So much of the national progress we’ve made on gun safety can be traced back to pioneering laws passed at the state level,” Everytown for Gun Safety President John Feinblatt said in a statement. “Over the last few election cycles, Everytown has built a winning playbook for electing gun sense champions in key state legislative seats in order to flip chambers and pass life-saving legislation,” he added. The States Project, a Democratic-aligned group, plans to spend $70 million on state legislative races in nine states this cycle, while Forward Majority, a Democratic super PAC, plans to spend $45 million. The Democratic Legislative Campaign Committee is aiming to spending $60 million on such races, while the Democratic National Committee and the American Civil Liberties Union are also pumping money into those contests.

---

Persons: we’ve, John Feinblatt, we’re, Everytown, Republican Pamela Carter, Ron Robinson, Democrat Nate Shannon, Julie Greene, Republican Owen Michaelson Organizations: Gun Safety, Democratic, NBC News, Senate, Republican, Democrat, States, PAC, Democratic Legislative, Democratic National Committee, American Civil Liberties Union Locations: House, Arizona , Michigan, Minnesota , New Hampshire, Pennsylvania, ”, Arizona, Phoenix, Michigan, Detroit, Minnesota, Minneapolis, Democratic