Everytown launches $500,000 ad campaign against Matthew DePerno over his opposition to gun safety laws

Everytown for Gun Safety, one of the largest gun safety advocacy organizations in the U.S., announced Thursday that they are launching an ad campaign against Matthew DePerno, the controversial Michigan GOP nominee for attorney general.

The digital ad, which Everytown is spending $500,000 to distribute, highlights DePerno’s opposition to what they say are common sense gun laws that would protect and save the lives of women in abusive relationships.

“Matt DePerno would make it easier for domestic abusers to get guns, even opposing background checks on gun sales,” the ad states.

The ad is part of $2.3 million that Everytown is spending in Michigan this election cycle. The organization already sent out multiple digital ads attacking GOP gubernatorial nominee Tudor Dixon over her opposition to any background checks for gun purchases.

“Michigan voters have made it clear they’re looking for candidates who will fight for common-sense gun safety laws and stand up for public safety,” John Feinblatt, president of Everytown for Gun Safety, said in a statement. “Everytown will make sure Michigan voters know that when extremists like Matt DePerno oppose gun violence prevention laws, they put our families, communities and law enforcement in danger.”

A September poll commissioned by Everytown showed that 93% of Michigan voters favor criminal background checks on all gun sales, including at gun shows. Everytown also highlights that 84% of voters believe stances on gun safety will be an important factor in deciding who to vote for. The poll also shows that just 28% of voters approve of a proposed constitutional open carry amendment with no exceptions, a proposed state House bill by far-right state Rep. Steve Carra (R-Three Rivers).

DePerno has campaigned as a gun rights absolutist, saying during a February debate that Second Amendment should be interpreted and enforced strictly as it is written. During a since-deleted Facebook Q&A session in February, DePerno said that gun “registration equals confiscation.” He previously pledged he would push for a constitutional carry amendment with no exceptions and would dismiss a Mexican government lawsuit that would hold gun manufacturers responsible for violent crimes by drug cartels.

Endorsed by former President Donald Trump, DePerno frequently attracts controversy on the campaign trail. Last month, Heartland Signal published audio from a conversation he had in August where he compared the Plan B contraceptive to fentanyl and said it should be stopped at the national border. A Schoolcraft resident accused DePerno of trespassing on her property and aiding in harassment in 2019 while he was working as a private-practice attorney. He is also still under investigation by the state over possible connections to criminal voting machine tampering during the 2020 election.