(NewsNation) — Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz’s evolving stance on gun control is coming into focus after Democratic presidential nominee Vice President Kamala Harris chose him as her running mate.
Walz’s early career
In 2006, Walz won the race to represent a largely rural district in Minnesota, flipping a previously Republican seat. Walz represented Minnesota’s 1st Congressional District from 2007 to 2019.
During this time, he was a favorite of the National Rifle Association, which endorsed him, donated to his campaign and gave him an “A” rating.
The Army veteran was one of the rare gun-owning Democrats in office and often spoke about his love for hunting.
In 2016, “Guns & Ammo” magazine featured Walz in its list of top 20 politicians for gun owners.
Walz’s campaign for governor
Shortly after a teenage gunman opened fire at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida, in 2018, killing 17, Walz began to support tighter firearm restrictions as he ran his first campaign for governor in the same year.
Walz said this was, in part, inspired by his then 17-year-old daughter urging him to do more to prevent gun violence.
During his campaign, Walz said he donated all the money he had ever gotten from the NRA to charity and made a public push for background checks for people purchasing firearms. He also spoke out in favor of a ban on assault weapons.
“I know basic gun safety isn’t a threat to my rights. It’s about keeping our kids safe,” Walz said last month about his evolution on the issue. “I had an ‘A’ rating from the NRA. Now I get straight ‘F’s.’ And I sleep just fine.”
Gun reform as governor
During his time serving as governor, Walz has signed a handful of gun control measures into law.
In 2023, he signed legislation giving law enforcement officials broader tools to remove weapons from people who are deemed a risk to themselves and others. The law also expanded background checks for weapon sales.
“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 Minnesota State of the State address in 2023. “Today is about taking meaningful action to create a safer future for our kids, and I am proud to sign this commonsense, life-saving legislation into law.”
Walz also signed legislation that increases penalties for acquiring a weapon on behalf of someone else who is not eligible to own a firearm. This law went into effect earlier this month.
