Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz, Vice President Kamala Harris' presidential running mate, once championed Second Amendment rights while in the U.S. House of Representatives, but quickly abandoned that policy position during his campaign for governor.

Walz served in the Minnesota House of Representatives for the 1st District from 2007 to 2018, where he earned an “A” rating and donations from the National Rifle Association (NRA). according to As Forbes magazine writes, “He began shifting his gun policy during his 2018 gubernatorial campaign, and after taking office in 2019, he passed several gun control bills in Minnesota that resulted in him receiving an “F” rating from the NRA during his campaign.” according to To the New York Times.

“Walz is a political shape-shifter,” Rob Doerr, senior vice president of government relations for the Minnesota Gun Owners Legislative Caucus, told DCNF. “When he represented Minnesota's 1st Congressional District, he defended the Second Amendment because that's what he needed to do to win. But shortly after he ran for governor, he began to distance himself from his Second Amendment position.”

In 2010, the NRA endorsed Walz, a gun rights advocate. according to In response to the NRA's press release, Walz welcomed the endorsement and highlighted his belief in the Second Amendment, citing his own military service and upbringing. (RELATED: Gov. Tim Walz's first executive action was to create a 'Diversity, Inclusion and Equity' Council)

“I grew up hunting and spent 24 years in the Army National Guard,” Walz said in the NRA's press release. “I know how important Second Amendment rights are to Southern Minnesotans. I'm proud to stand up for Second Amendment rights with the NRA and truly appreciate their support.”

Walz is the sponsor of the Sportsmen's Legacy and Recreation Enhancement Act of 2014 in the House of Representatives, which would expand hunters' access to federal lands and provide protections for frequently used ammunition types and fishing equipment. according to The legislation also expands the use of the Pittman-Robertson Fund to the National Shooting Sports Foundation. Assigned Provides funding for hunting and public shooting range projects for wildlife conservation under the Pittman-Robertson Wildlife Restoration Act of 1937.

But Walz's views on the Second Amendment changed when he ran for governor of Minnesota in 2018. weak than the relatively strict policies of incumbent Democratic Governor Mark Dayton and Erin Murphy, who had the backing of the Minnesota Democratic-Farmer-Labor Party. according to to the Twin Cities. He eventually Dedication When he ran against Murphy in the Democratic primary, he proposed stricter gun control policies.

Waltz is Editorial In 2018, following the Parkland High School shooting in Parkland, Florida, that left 17 people dead and 17 injured, he wrote an article for the Minneapolis Star Tribune calling for an assault weapons ban and other gun control measures, and pledged to donate the $18,000 he received from the NRA to the Intrepid Fallen Heroes Fund, a veterans support nonprofit.

“I will fight to pass universal background checks, something the Legislature has been unable or unwilling to do for years,” Walz wrote in the op-ed. “I will fight for gun violence protective orders, which allow family members or police to ask a court to stop someone from possessing a firearm if they pose a significant danger. I will fund public research on gun violence. I will have honest discussions about mental health, without stigmatizing people. And after listening to Minnesotans, I support a ban on assault weapons.”

Governor Walz signed the controversial “Red Flag” law into law in 2023, giving states the right to confiscate weapons from people who pose a high risk of harming themselves or others with firearms. according to Press release from the Governor's Office. Pro-Second Amendment group The United States Concealed Carry Association (USCCA) NRA These laws strip gun owners of their due process rights, and they often are not informed of firearm confiscation orders, arguing that criminal charges are not necessary because firearms are dangerous.

“In a red flag case, the government can take steps on its own, and often without the defendant knowing about the case, to determine whether an individual should continue to have the right to possess those firearms,” ​​the USCCA said in 2023. “Under red flag laws, the guns of people who have not committed a crime can be confiscated, which appears to violate constitutional due process rights.”

In May, Governor Walz signed omnibus bill HF5247 into law, banning “binary triggers” beginning January 1, 2025. Binary triggers are guns that allow a firearm to fire not only when pulled normally, but also after it is released. according to The bill is currently under litigation from UnitedHealthcare, which claims the government passed the bill without giving lawmakers adequate time to consider it. according to In the Minneapolis Star Tribune.

“The problem with Walz is that you can't trust him,” Dore said. “He brags about being a gun owner and a hunter, yet he fully agrees with and will support any radical gun control proposal put forward by anti-gun politicians. I don't think he can be trusted to protect Second Amendment rights.”

Walz's office did not immediately respond to a request for comment from the Daily Caller News Foundation.

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