Once-safe Republicans are in danger because of a new issue out of left field

A former congresswoman, who is currently the spouse of a prominent United States senator, is taking her crusade against the NRA into the 2026 midterm elections — and placing seats that were considered safe for Republicans into serious consideration.

"Giffords PAC, the pro–gun control organization founded by former Rep. Gabby Giffords (D-Ariz.), released two new ads as part of a $10 million campaign in battleground House races ahead of the November elections, The Bulwark can exclusively report," reported The Bulwark's Joe Perticone on Tuesday. "The campaign—an unusually large intervention from an independent PAC—targets districts at the edges of Democrats’ hopes for how far a blue wave this November might carry them."

Perticone continued, "In a $1 million campaign in Michigan’s 10th Congressional District, the PAC’s ad elevates Christina Hines, the Democratic nominee." The ad said, “I investigated cold cases that Christina Hines prosecuted: gun traffickers, domestic abusers, and murderers. I was always relieved when prosecutor Christina Hines was assigned to a case. She not only listened to me, she heard me. Christina Hines is a great partner to law enforcement. She’s tough, she’s honest, and I trust her.”

Perticone also described how Giffords PAC has spent money on ads on behalf of Democrat Leela Gray who is opposing Rep. Anna Paulina Luna (R-FL).

"They give her thousands of dollars, then she votes their way," Perticone wrote. "Luna voted to weaken gun laws, making it easier for criminals and domestic abusers to get access to guns. She even voted to cut millions from law enforcement—putting our police and families at risk. The gun lobby can always count on Anna Paulina Luna. But Florida families can’t."

He concluded, "These two races are interesting targets for Giffords because they aren’t the obvious high-profile races that other Democrats typically designate as most crucial for retaking the House majority. The seat in Michigan’s 10th district, now an open race, has been held by a Republican in recent years while Luna’s seat is rated as “lean Republican” according to the Cook Political Report, indicating Giffords PAC is sending its resources to places national Democrats have been too thinly stretched to meaningfully contest in recent election cycles."

Giffords is married to Sen. Mark Kelly (D-AZ), a veteran and former astronaut who has frequently been the target of Trump's wrath. Even though Trump has waged politically-motivated and baseless prosecutions against Kelly, in particular when Kelly told the military that its soldiers should not follow illegal orders, Kelly has only become more popular rather than less so while being targeted by Trump. He began his political career after Giffords was nearly assassinated in 2011.