Topline
Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz may be asked about his evolved record on gun legislation at Tuesday’s vice presidential debate, as the congressman-turned-governor went from a former darling of the National Rifle Association to one of its foes after vocally supporting restrictions.
Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz speaks at a campaign event on Sept. 12 in Grand Rapids, Mich.
Key Facts
Before becoming governor, Walz represented a rural district in Minnesota in Congress, where he developed a pro-gun rights record that earned him “A” ratings from the NRA and the group’s endorsement, with Walz saying in a 2010 statement he was “proud to stand with the NRA to protect our Second Amendment rights.”
As a congressman, Walz voted in favor of legislation that made it easier for veterans deemed “mentally incompetent” to own guns and restricted gun control measures in Washington, D.C., and he sponsored a bill that expanded hunting and recreational shooting access, among other measures.
After the 2018 shooting in Parkland, Florida, Walz—then a gubernatorial candidate—came out in favor of stricter gun measures in a Minneapolis Star-Tribune op-ed, in which he said the NRA was “the biggest single obstacle to passing the most basic measures to prevent gun violence in America” and emphasized he had long supported “common-sense reforms” like universal background checks, banning “bump stocks” for guns and prohibiting people on the No Fly List from purchasing guns.
Walz said he had also donated the $18,000 he received in donations from the NRA to a charity that helps families of troops who are killed or injured while serving, and came out in favor of an assault weapons ban.
Walz has pushed gun control reforms as governor, signing a suite of measures into law in 2023 including universal background checks and “red flag” rules that make it easier to take guns away from people who are at higher risk of injuring themselves or others.
Get Forbes Breaking News Text Alerts: We’re launching text message alerts so you’ll always know the biggest stories shaping the day’s headlines. Text “Alerts” to (201) 335-0739 or sign up here.
News Peg
Vance will face off Tuesday against Sen. JD Vance, R-Ohio, in Philadelphia, at the vice presidential debate, marking the first time the two politicians have gone head to head.
Crucial Quote
“I know guns as well as anyone else in this room … I know that there’s no place for weapons of war in our schools, or in our churches, or in our banks, or anywhere else people are just trying to live their lives without fear,” Walz said in his State of the State address in 2023. “I got an A rating from the NRA my first term in Congress. Now I get straight F’s. And I sleep just fine.”
Surprising Fact
Walz is still a hunting enthusiast. The governor tweeted a photo of a yard full of turkeys in August, writing, “For the past few years I’ve not seen a turkey while hunting. Today they mock me.”
What Are Vance’s Views On Gun Control?
Unlike Walz, Vance has been vocally opposed to restrictions on guns, with the NRA describing the senator as “a true Second Amendment champion” when he was named former President Donald Trump’s running mate. Vance has consistently pushed for weaker gun regulations in the Senate, co-sponsoring legislation that would expand concealed carry, increase rights for licensed gun owners who commit violations and oppose a federal rule that expanded when gun sellers must be licensed and conduct background checks, among other measures. Prior to becoming a senator, Vance authored an op-ed in 2021 in which he argued “the Biden Administration’s dull attempts to curb gun violence don’t work and they threaten the very foundation of the rights we are afforded as free, American citizens.” Describing the “unholy alliance” between government and business in trying to restrict gun ownership, Vance wrote the efforts “won’t stop at the Second Amendment. Eventually, they’ll come for other cherished American liberties, too.”
Key Background
Harris named Walz as her vice presidential pick in August, after the Minnesota governor was one of a number of Democrats floated for the job, along with Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro, Sen. Mark Kelly, D-Ariz., and Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear. Originally from Nebraska, Walz served in the Army National Guard and was a school teacher for many years prior to entering politics, teaching social studies along with serving as a football coach and overseeing the school’s Gay-Straight Alliance. Republicans have decried Walz, who had been viewed as a moderate earlier in his political career, as pushing the Harris ticket further left, with the Trump campaign claiming in a statement that by picking Walz, “Kamala Harris not only bent the knee to the radical left, she doubled down on her dangerously liberal, weak, and failed agenda.” Walz’s addition to the Democratic ticket came after a series of major gun control reforms failed to pass Congress following a slew of mass shootings that have taken place in recent years, with Republicans remaining opposed to reforms, and as the Supreme Court has opened the doors to more challenges against gun control measures.
