John Commerford: Minnesota Democrats’ disarming assault on law-abiding gun owners

Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz and his Democratic allies just took another major step toward dismantling the rights of law-abiding gun owners. On May 4, the state Senate narrowly passed a sweeping gun control package on a 34-33 party-line vote. The bill now heads to a tied House of Representatives, where its fate remains uncertain—but the threat is real and immediate.

Under the banner of “gun safety,” Democrats are pushing measures that would turn responsible citizens into criminals for exercising rights they have held for generations. The package includes bans on the future sale of commonly owned semi-automatic rifles and pistols mislabeled as “assault weapons,” restrictions on magazines with more than 17 rounds, registration requirements for existing firearms, crackdowns on homemade firearms, the reinstatement of a ban on shooting sport accessories, and more. Current owners would face mandatory certification with the Bureau of Criminal Apprehension, recurring fees, and renewal every three years—creating a de facto registry.

These are not “modest” reforms. They are a direct assault on the constitutional rights of Minnesotans who own firearms responsibly for self-defense, hunting, and sport. The bill targets the very tools law-abiding citizens rely on while doing little to disarm criminals who already ignore existing laws. Senate Democrats, with their razor-thin majority, pushed this through despite opposition, even as some of their own members from rural districts expressed reservations. Yet they voted yes anyway.

This double standard is telling. Democrats claim these measures prevent violence, yet support soft-on-crime policies that allow violent criminals to wreak havoc on communities. They disarm law-abiding citizens with new restrictions, registration, and bans on popular firearms, all while allowing criminals to operate freely. This backward and illogical style of thinking undermines public safety and puts you, your family, and your community at risk.

The pattern is familiar wherever progressive politicians hold leverage. Virginia, New Jersey, Hawaii, and others have seen similar erosions: bans, registries, and limits on self-defense under the guise of safety. Minnesota’s push, if it advances further, will embolden anti-gun efforts nationwide. The National Rifle Association has always been clear: the right to keep and bear arms is not negotiable. When one state falls, the foundation weakens for all.

Thankfully, the tied House—67-67 under a power-sharing agreement—stands as a critical firewall. Republicans have signaled strong opposition, but this fight is far from over. Gun owners cannot afford complacency. This is an election-year fight, and Democrats have already telegraphed plans to make it a campaign issue.

Gun owners must act now. Contact your representatives in the House. Make your voices heard at hearings and through calls, emails, and public testimony. Remind every legislator who they serve: the men and women of Minnesota who value liberty and far outnumber those who seek to erode it. Pack the hearings. Fill the inboxes. Show up in force.

Once rights are lost, they are extraordinarily difficult to restore. Minnesota’s law-abiding citizens have defended their freedoms responsibly for generations. This latest assault must be stopped in the House. The fight for the Second Amendment is not confined to St. Paul—it echoes in every state capital and Washington, D.C. that Americans will not be complicit in the erosion of their rights.

John Commerford is Executive Director of the National Rifle Association’s Institute for Legislative Action.

The views and opinions expressed in this commentary are those of the author and do not represent an official position of Alpha News. 

John Commerford

John Commerford is Executive Director of the National Rifle Association’s Institute for Legislative Action.