In New Ad, Daughter of Sandy Hook Principal Urges Support for Clinton
TV Ad to Air in Connecticut, Rhode Island Beginning Wednesday
In a powerful new television ad released today by Hillary for America, Erica Smegielski, the daughter of Dawn Hochsprung, the principal killed at Sandy Hook Elementary School, urges voters to support Hillary Clinton’s candidacy for president because of her commitment to tackling gun violence in America. “No one is fighting harder to reform our gun laws than Hillary Clinton,” Erica says in the ad. “She is the only candidate who has what it takes to take on the gun lobby. She reminds me of my mother: she isn’t scared of anything.”
Throughout her campaign, Clinton has met with families and individuals impacted by gun violence. These meetings and conversations have deepened her commitment to stand up to the gun lobby and enact commonsense gun safety measures as president. Clinton has committed to fight for comprehensive background checks, lead the charge to end immunity protections for irresponsible gun manufacturers and dealers which prevent victims’ families from holding them accountable, and reform laws to keep guns out of the hands of domestic abusers, other violent criminals and the severely mentally ill.
On Tuesday night, Erica joined Clinton in New York City at her Election Night event, where Clinton shared the story of Erica’s loss and said: “She'd never been involved in politics before, but she has made it her mission to advocate for common sense gun safety reform. Like the mothers of Eric Garner and Trayvon Martin and so many others, Erica has turned her sorrow into a strategy and her mourning into a movement.” Erica will join Clinton and other families and individuals impacted by gun violence for an event in Hartford, Connecticut, on Thursday.
The ad has both 30- and 60-second versions. The 60-second version of the ad began airing today in the Hartford, Connecticut, market. The 30-second version of the ad is airing in Hartford, statewide in Rhode Island, and on cable in Fairfield County, Connecticut, which is part of the New York City market.
