Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz and his legislative allies in the Democratic-Farmer-Labor (DFL) party had a rough eight days in May, with the legislative session ending on the 18th without passing their gun control legislation, and a major court loss on the 26th, striking down the “binary trigger” ban snuck into a spending bill in 2024.
Walz has not had a good year, with much attention paid to welfare fraud in the North Star State on his watch, and his inability to move legislation which would have put new restrictions on gun owners. It is no wonder he is not running for re-election, and is vowing to quite politics.
The Minnesota Gun Owners Caucus is celebrating its victory in the state Court of Appeals, nullifying the binary trigger ban because its inclusion in the 2024 omnibus tax/spending bill violated the state constitution’s single subject rule. The MGOC had earlier won at the trial court level before Ramsey County District Court Judge Leonardo Castro. The Appeals Court ruling cemented the defeat.
In a news release, MGOC Chairman Bryan Strawser observed, “This is a complete victory on the question we asked the court to decide. The Walz administration and anti-gun legislators tried to sneak a firearms ban into an omnibus bill where it didn’t belong. The district court said no. The Court of Appeals said no. Minnesota’s Constitution, not legislative gamesmanship, controls how laws get made in this state, and Minnesota gun owners just proved it twice.”
It came one week and a day after the legislature adjourned, putting a spike through SF 4067, which the MGOC described in a news story as a “sweeping gun ban omnibus bill.”
The legislation died even after—or perhaps because—DFL lawmakers held a sit-in to demand action on the gun control bill. They were furious that Republican House Speaker Lisa Demuth had declined to move it to a vote.
Joining Minnesota gun owners in celebrating the defeat of gun control for another year, the Citizens Committee for the Right to Keep and Bear Arms issued a scathing statement to the media, describing the binary trigger ban as a “shenanigan used by anti-gunners time and again to conceal something they know would never pass muster in the broad daylight.”
“We’re delighted our colleagues at the Minnesota Gun Owners Caucus, a CCRKBA state affiliate, challenged this sneaky tactic,” said CCRKBA Chairman Alan Gottlieb.
But the nationally-recognized gun rights leader had something more ominous to say.
“Tim Walz and his anti-gun-rights DFL cronies in St. Paul were defeated twice this month,” he added, “once when they couldn’t pressure Minnesota House Speaker Lisa Demuth with their ridiculous ‘sit-in’ to bring their gun ban bill up for a vote, and now by the state Court of Appeals. It was briefly fun to watch them pout like disappointed spoiled brats, but the novelty wore off pretty fast. All they’ve proven is their willingness to be sneaky and childish in an effort to get their way, while the adults at the capitol and in the court keep them in check. We hope Minnesota voters remember this in November.”
Right now, there is an even split in the Minnesota House, which could change with this fall’s elections. If Democrats win, expect more gun control to be introduced, but if Republicans take majority control, such legislation would likely be held in check.
Is there national significance in the Minnesota situation? There is clearly a message that GOP unity and strength can prevent restrictive gun control from becoming law, and across the map, Democrats are recognized as the “party of gun prohibition.” They have rammed through gun and magazine bans in Washington, Colorado, Illinois and other states, and Maryland Gov. Wes Moore just signed legislation banning Glock-style pistols, for which he was promptly sued in federal court by the National Rifle Association, Second Amendment Foundation and Firearms Policy Coalition.
Last December, Walz made headlines when he demanded that insurance companies turn over information on firearms, as noted by the Daily Caller, declaring, “We are the murder gun capital of the planet, because people have made the decision to protect gun manufacturers and those who don’t want to take responsible action.” His remark epitomizes the sentiment of many Democrats, who are invariably leading the charge for more gun restrictions.
Traditionally, mid-term elections result in a loss of seats for whichever party is in control, including the White House. But this year has a new dynamic with the elections of highly vocal socialist mayors Zohran Mamdani in New York City, and Katie Wilson in Seattle. His pronouncements and her ineptitude have made some interesting headlines over the past five months, and they’re just getting started.
Democrats will try to make the fall elections entirely about Donald Trump, but Minnesota is proof that far more is at stake.
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About Dave Workman
Dave Workman is a senior editor at TheGunMag.com and Liberty Park Press, author of multiple books on the Right to Keep & Bear Arms, and formerly an NRA-certified firearms instructor.
