2018 Gun Rights Pre-Primary Candidate Survey

Welcome to the 2018 Minnesota Gun Rights Pre-Primary Survey Results Page.

We surveyed candidates running for the Minnesota House in the 2018 election cycle and asked them all the 8 questions listed below.

Each candidate was clearly informed that a failure to return the 2018 Minnesota Gun Rights survey or refusal to answer particular questions would be graded as an anti-gun position.

Gun owners are situated to make a huge impact by making knowledgeable choices in the primary process.  To find out what district you live in, please click HERE.

Knowing which district you live in will enable you to scroll through the results below to find out where you candidates stand on our Second Amendment.

VOTE PRO-GUN on AUGUST 14th!

— Ben Dorr

GUBERNATORIAL CANDIDATE SURVEY RESULTS

Republican Ticket
– Tim Pawlenty: Publicly speaks in favor of banning bump-stocks, in favor of “Mental Health” gun control and “strengthening background checks”, No Survey Returned, REFUSES to fill out the Minnesota Gun Rights Candidate Survey.
– Jeff Johnson: Candidate Survey Returned, all 8 questions answered correctly, promising to be 100% Pro-Gun, AND filled out the MGR Leadership Pledge 100%.

Democrat Ticket
– Lori Swanson: No Survey Returned
– Tim Walz: No Survey Returned
– Erin Murphy: No Survey Returned

1. Anti-gun organizations, often funded with out-of-state resources from Michael Bloomberg, have been clamoring for legislation to end all private party firearms transfers in Minnesota unless they submit to a federal NCIC check, thereby adding themselves and the firearm to a federal list. As we’ve seen, this legislation does little to stop crime but creates statewide databases of gun owners – which can be used against gun owners later.

If elected, would you OPPOSE “Universal Gun Registration” legislation that would ban all private party sales and makes criminals out of Minnesota gun owners who want to pass on family firearms to their children and grandchildren – and create a database of gun owners at the same time?

Yes­­­_____                    No______

2. Mental health has become a back door for gun control by expanding the criteria for voluntary and involuntary mental health commitments, adding more and more people to the NCIC ‘prohibited persons’ list, often without due process and full adjudication by a court of law. Once a person’s name is placed on this list, it is virtually impossible to have it removed. In most cases this legislation, commonly referred to as ‘Red Flag Orders,’ would allow someone who has never even been convicted of a crime to have their gun rights arbitrarily taken away!

If elected, would you OPPOSE ‘Red Flag Orders’ and similar legislation that would deny law abiding Minnesota citizens their gun rights without due process through a court of law and without ever having been adjudicated as defective or convicted?

Yes­­­_____                      No______

3. Various state legislatures have already passed legislation that would ban all gun rights from American citizens between the ages of 18-20. In addition, many lawmakers at the state and federal level are publicly calling for this legislation to be enacted at the state level nationwide!  This, despite the fact that these are law abiding citizens that can serve in the military, pay taxes, get married, have careers and enjoy every other aspect of being a legal adult.

If elected, would you OPPOSE legislation that would leave American citizens between the ages of 18-20 defenseless and unable to buy a firearm for self-defense? 

Yes _____                       No _____

4. In the wake of the Parkland, FL shooting, anti-gun lawmakers, the media, and Bloomberg funded activists have been screaming for a complete ban of the AR-15 (and their standard 30-round magazine) and hundreds of related firearms all because of a variety of cosmetic features.  Legislation has been introduced to ban these firearms in Washington, D.C., and lawmakers here in Minnesota have talked about introducing similar legislation. This, despite the fact that all semi-automatic firearms function essentially the same way.

If elected, would you OPPOSE legislation banning the manufacture, sale or possession of semi-automatic firearms and/or large-capacity magazines, recognizing that these restrictions do nothing to stop crime but only serve to harass gun owners?

Yes _____                 No _____

5. Gun control activists have long desired a mandatory 3-day waiting period before law abiding citizens would be able to exercise their 2nd Amendment freedoms and purchase a firearm for self-defense. This, despite the fact that the madmen in some of the worst mass shootings in America, like the one at Virginia Tech or the nightclub in Florida, purchased their guns AFTER submitting to these waiting periods. Of course, these waiting periods do nothing to stop violent crime and only leave law abiding citizens vulnerable during times where they need a firearm the most.

If elected, would you OPPOSE any legislation that would place unconstitutional waiting periods limiting when a law-abiding citizen in Minnesota could purchase a firearm for self-defense?

Yes _____                 No _____

6. Constitutional Carry recognizes that every law-abiding citizen has the right to carry a gun, openly or concealed, for any reason they want to, except to commit a crime. Thus, with no government bureaucracy or license, Minnesota citizens could defend themselves, and criminals who use firearms to commit crimes are severely punished. This is the law in Vermont, Alaska, Arizona, Wyoming, Arkansas, Kansas, Maine, West Virginia, Missouri, North Dakota, New Hampshire and most of Montana.  If passed in Minnesota, this law will allow thousands of people the right to carry a firearm for any lawful purpose with no additional paperwork or fees.

Would you support Constitutional Carry legislation, which would allow all law-abiding Minnesota citizens the right to carry a weapon, either concealed or openly, without having to first obtain government permission and be added to a list, as is done in several other states?

Sponsor________          Cosponsor________           No________

7. Stand-Your-Ground law, already on the books in 36 states, simply removes the duty to retreat before an individual can defend themselves from a violent attacker in public places, the same way we don’t have to retreat when attacked in our homes, businesses, or vehicles. The bill provides an enactment clause, establishes a threatened use of force to allow for tactical retreat from a deadly situation, and states that you can’t be civilly sued or criminally charged if a burden of proof cannot be met.

Would you support Stand-Your-Ground legislation that allows Minnesota citizens to defend themselves, with force if necessary, from violent criminal attacks that occur in public places without having to retreat, as well as ensuring that they can’t be bankrupted by expensive or frivolous lawsuits?

Sponsor________          Cosponsor________           No________

8. Most mass shootings happen in so-called “Gun-Free” areas where law-abiding citizens are forced to disarm, which quite literally has resulted in violent criminals targeting these sites. This prevents otherwise law-abiding citizens from defending themselves, their loved ones and innocent citizens around them.

If elected, would you support legislation to eliminate restrictions on law-abiding gun owners from carrying a firearm in certain so-called “Gun-Free” areas, otherwise known as “Criminal Safe Zones?”

Sponsor________          Cosponsor________           No________