Theater shooting victim’s dad enters state Senate race

File--In this Friday, Aug. 7, 2015, file photograph, Tom Sullivan, who lost his son in the massacre at an Aurora, Colo., theatre in July 2012, leaves the Arapahoe County Courthouse after the jury sentenced convicted theatre shooter James Holmes to life in prison without parole in Centennial, Colo. Tom Sullivan launched his run to seek a seat in the Colorado State Senate in a heavily-Republican district on Tuesday, Feb. 23, 2016. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski, file) File--In this Friday, Aug. 7, 2015, file photograph, Tom Sullivan, who lost his son in the massacre at an Aurora, Colo., theatre in July 2012, leaves the Arapahoe County Courthouse after the jury sentenced convicted theatre shooter James Holmes to life in prison without parole in Centennial, Colo. Tom Sullivan launched his run to seek a seat in the Colorado State Senate in a heavily-Republican district on Tuesday, Feb. 23, 2016. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski, file)

By Associated Press February 23, 2016 3 min read

GREENWOOD VILLAGE, Colo. (AP) – The father of a man killed in the Colorado movie theater shootings said Tuesday he is running for a state Senate seat so he can bring his personal campaign for middle-class values and gun control to the Legislature.

Tom Sullivan, who became a face of anguish in the 2012 massacre that killed his son Alex, announced he is running as a Democrat in the heavily Republican Denver suburb of Greenwood Village.

With his wife, Terry, and daughter Megan beside him, Sullivan pledged to fight for paid family leave, gun control and “leveling the playing field” when it comes to economic opportunity for the middle class.

He also attacked the district’s Republican incumbent, Sen. Jack Tate, for supporting restrictions on abortion rights and voting against limits on background checks for gun buyers.

“When you vote in favor of a bill that would outlaw all abortions, even in case of rape, you are too extreme to represent our community,” Sullivan said.