Fla. shooting survivors call for boycott of Publix for donating to NRA-backed governor candidate

Survivors of the high school shooting in Parkland, Fla., are calling for a boycott of a regional grocery store over its support of a National Rifle Association (NRA)-backed candidate for governor, CBS News reports.

The Publix supermarket chain is facing scrutiny over its $670,000 in total campaign donations to Adam Putnam, a former GOP representative and Florida’s agriculture commissioner. Putnam has taken donations from the NRA and touts himself as a proud gun owner.

{mosads} 

Though the regional grocery chain said in a statement that it only supports Putnam and has never donated to the NRA, survivors of the shooting have taken to social media to condemn Publix for affiliating with the gubernatorial candidate. 

“Guess I’ll be getting my chocolate chip muffins elsewhere from now on,” tweeted David Hogg, a vocal Parkland student turned anti-gun violence activist.

Guess I’ll be getting my chocolate chip muffins elsewhere from now on. Common @Publix https://t.co/uSVso4nzLh

— David Hogg (@davidhogg111) May 15, 2018

Alex Wind, a fellow classmate of Hogg’s, said he “should’ve bought my flowers for the memorials somewhere else.”

.@Publix I guess I should’ve bought my flowers for the memorials somewhere else. https://t.co/BidbjjxA87

— Alex Wind (@al3xw1nd) May 15, 2018

Now hundreds of social media users have posted with “#BoycottPublix,” shaming the store for its support of the pro-gun GOP candidate.

The boycott comes after the NRA has once again taken heat for its pro-gun ownership agenda following another school shooting, this time in Texas, last week. The shooting at Santa Fe High School left 10 dead.

“We regret that some of our political contributions have led to an unintentional customer divide instead of our desire to support a growing economy in Florida,” Publix said in a statement given to CBS. “As a result of this situation, we are evaluating our processes to ensure that our giving better reflects our intended desire to support a strong economy and a healthy community.”

Putnam, a self-described “proud NRA sellout” and gun owner, has welcomed donations from the gun lobby and previously opposed a gun control bill pushed by Florida Gov. Rick Scott (R).

He is one of a handful of candidates running for the GOP nomination to run for governor in the state. 

Polls had shown Putnam with an early lead in the race for the Republican nomination, but in March he saw that slip as he fell behind Rep. Ron DeSantis.