Tim Walz’s Gun Control Evolution: From NRA Ally to Reform Advocate

Tim Walz was once a darling of the NRA, awarded their highest A rating for support of gun rights.

However the Minnesota governor and vice-presidential nominee now has an F – and he’s ok with it.

“I sleep just fine,” he has said of his lowly rating.

It’s a striking turnaround for lifelong gun owner. The reason, his team have told Newsweek, is “common sense”.

“After some of the worst mass shootings in our country’s history, the governor was moved to take a hard look at the facts and decided to support common sense gun reform that would prevent future tragedies,” a spokeswoman for the Harris-Walz campaign told Newsweek.

When Gwen Walz introduced her husband during the Democratic National Convention on Thursday, she explained the evolution of his position.

“Tim’s a lifelong hunter and gun owner,” she said. “But after the Sandy Hook school shooting, he knew we had to do something.”

Walz expanded on this in his acceptance speech, where he advocated for responsible gun ownership, drawing on his experience as a veteran.

“I know guns. I’m a veteran, a hunter, and I was a better shot than most Republicans in Congress—and I’ve got the trophies to prove it. But I’m also a dad. I believe in the Second Amendment. But our first responsibility is to keep our kids safe,” he said.

Before being selected as the Vice Presidential nominee by Kamala Harris, now the Democratic presidential nominee, Walz was in the midst of his second term as Minnesota governor. He had previously served as a U.S. Congressman from 2007 to 2019, representing a largely rural district. During his time in Congress, in a district that typically voted red, Walz was seen as a champion of gun rights and hunting.

However, critics argue that Walz’s eventual shift on gun control was driven more by political necessity than personal conviction. By the time he entered the Democratic primary for Minnesota governor in 2017, Walz’s legislative actions still aligned with his pro-gun background, even five years after the Sandy Hook massacre.

During those years, the National Rifle Association (NRA) continued to award him high marks, maintaining his A rating and labeling him a reliable ally to gun rights advocates. In fact, Guns & Ammo magazine named him one of the top 20 politicians for gun owners in 2016.

“While most congressional Democrats have jumped on the gun control train with both feet,” the magazine said, “Tim Walz and a few others have stuck to their guns.”

While in the House, he was one of a handful of Democrats to regularly receive campaign donations and top ratings from the NRA. He joined other pro-gun lawmakers in 2009 to oppose an assault weapons ban, and in 2011 he cosponsored a bill that would have allowed permit holders to carry concealed firearms outside their home state.

By the time he entered the crowded Democratic primary for Minnesota governor in 2017, Walz’s position had started to shift.

Faced with criticism from within his party, particularly from primary opponent Erin Murphy, Walz began to distance himself from the NRA. After the mass shooting at the Route 91 Harvest music festival in Las Vegas, Walz pledged to donate his previous NRA contributions to a charity for families of fallen service members.

The turning point came after the 2018 school shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida. “I’ll take my kick in the butt from the NRA,” Walz said during his gubernatorial campaign, adding that his daughter, Hope, also implored him to make a difference. This shift included proposing an assault weapons ban and endorsing other gun control initiatives that were once unthinkable for a politician with his background.

As governor, Walz’s commitment to gun control was solidified. In 2023, he signed into law sweeping gun control legislation in Minnesota, including expanded background checks and “red flag” protections, which allow for the temporary removal of firearms from individuals deemed a danger to themselves or others. This move aligned him with the broader Democratic Party’s stance on gun violence prevention.

Despite his shift, Walz’s previous ties to the NRA have remained a point of contention. Gun rights advocates accuse him of betraying his earlier principles for political gain. “Tim Walz is a political chameleon—changing his positions to further his own personal agenda,” said Randy Kozuch, chairman of the NRA Political Victory Fund.

Walz’s transformation on gun control was not only influenced by the increasing frequency of mass shootings but also by the changing dynamics within the gun lobby.

Between 2016 and 2022, the NRA’s influence waned due to internal strife and financial troubles, while gun control advocacy groups, such as Everytown for Gun Safety, gained momentum. Everytown, founded by billionaire Mike Bloomberg, invested heavily in gubernatorial races, including a $200,000 contribution to a pro-Walz political committee during his 2018 campaign.

Walz, ever the pragmatist, has embraced his new role as a gun control advocate, even under heavy fire from both sides of the debate

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