Amy Klobuchar vows gun‑control push as Minnesota’s next governor.
Minnesota Governor‑elect Amy Klobuchar, who positioned herself as a moderate in Congress, sparked controversy by declaring she will prioritize a gun‑safety bill once she assumes office.
“The gun safety bill is going to get passed, and I am so excited to be working with the leaders on this, and it certainly should be one of our top priorities,” Klobuchar said at a press conference. “I think that bill makes a lot of sense. I’m sure that we’ll make some changes … but the basics of that bill I hope will remain in place.”
The proposal, Senate File 4067, cleared the Minnesota Senate 34‑33 earlier this year but remains stalled in the House. It would bar federally licensed dealers from selling select semiautomatic military‑style rifles—including AR‑15s—and high‑capacity magazines holding more than 17 rounds. Owners may retain the weapons and magazines if they obtain a state‑issued certification from the Bureau of Criminal Apprehension and renew it every three years; knowing possession of an uncertified item would be a gross misdemeanor, with a felony penalty for repeat offenses.
Political backlash
Conservatives and Second Amendment advocates flooded social media, accusing Klobuchar of a liberal agenda that threatens law‑abiding gun owners, especially in rural Minnesota. Steve Guest posted on X, “Democrats don’t care about affordability. They only care about taking away our Second Amendment rights,” while the NRA warned, “In one of her first acts as governor‑elect, Sen. @amyklobuchar affirmed that she will go after Minnesotans’ firearms under the guise of ‘safety.’”
Attorney Nathan Hansen added, “When Amy Klobuchar told you over and over she was going to do a top‑to‑bottom audit, she meant of your guns, not your tax dollars.”
Response and context
Fox News Digital sought comment from Klobuchar’s team but received no reply. She reiterated, “I am committed as ever to moving our state forward, not moving our state to the left or to the right, but moving our state forward.”
Klobuchar, a senator since 2007, defeated Republican House Speaker Lisa Demuth by 13 points in the recent gubernatorial race and will take office in January, succeeding Gov. Tim Walz, who resigned after a major fraud scandal.
Her stance on gun control comes as Democrats push new restrictions, even as facts show the Minneapolis Catholic school shooter was stopped before the attack.
Andrew Mark Miller, a Fox News Digital reporter since 2021, can be reached at AndrewMark.Miller@fox.com.
