Minnesota Governor-elect Amy Klobuchar is facing criticism after saying soon after her election that passing a gun-control bill would be a priority once she takes office. Klobuchar has generally presented herself as a moderate during her time in Congress.
“The gun safety bill is going to get passed,” she said at a news conference, adding that she was eager to work with lawmakers on it. She said she expected some changes but hoped the bill’s core provisions would stay intact.
Klobuchar was referring to SF 4067, a broad gun-control measure that passed the Minnesota Senate by a 34–33 vote earlier this year but has not been taken up by the House. It would bar federally licensed dealers from selling certain semiautomatic firearms, including AR-15s, along with magazines holding more than 17 rounds.
People who already own the covered firearms or magazines could keep them, but would need to get an ownership certificate from the state Bureau of Criminal Apprehension and renew it every three years. Knowingly possessing an uncertified firearm or magazine would be a gross misdemeanor; a later violation could be charged as a felony.
Conservatives and gun-rights groups criticized Klobuchar on social media, arguing that the proposal would restrict the rights of law-abiding Minnesotans, including those in rural communities.
“Democrats don’t care about affordability. They only care about taking away our Second Amendment rights,” conservative communicator Steve Guest wrote on X, accusing Klobuchar of targeting lawful gun owners.
The National Rifle Association said Klobuchar had made clear she intended to pursue restrictions on Minnesotans’ firearms, framing them as a matter of safety.
Minnesota attorney and former immigration judge Nathan Hansen also criticized her, writing that her promised “top-to-bottom audit” would focus on people’s guns rather than tax dollars.
Minnesota Miners, a pro-mining nonprofit, called on Klobuchar to focus instead on government fraud and taxes, and accused her of threatening the constitutional rights of legal gun owners.
State Rep. Ben Davis, a Republican, urged people not to comply with the measure, while conservative influencer Gunther Eagleman claimed Klobuchar was already targeting the state’s rifles before taking office.
Klobuchar said at the news conference that she was committed to moving Minnesota forward, rather than shifting it either to the left or the right.
She has represented Minnesota in the U.S. Senate since 2007. Earlier this month, she defeated Republican House Speaker Lisa Demuth by 13 points in the governor’s race. Klobuchar is set to take office in January, succeeding Gov. Tim Walz, who ended his reelection campaign in January amid the fallout from a major fraud scandal.
