Minnesota Governor Is Not Happy Over His Failed Gun Control Push

In a recent video posted by gun rights activist Colion Noir, Minnesota Governor Tim Walz vented at the podium after Republicans refused to schedule a floor vote on his bill to ban what he called “high-capacity” magazines. In his remarks, Walz called the blockade “not acceptable” and said leadership should “lay out parameters” and then “bring in the other legislators” to vote. He also said he remained open to a larger deal and would support votes on mental health bills if Republicans were willing to engage on guns at the same time. 

Walz Says GOP Won’t Talk About Guns

The governor claimed Republican leaders told him there would “never be a vote on gun bans.” He argued that GOP legislators “want to talk about everything else except guns,” adding health care costs and the farm crisis to the list of topics he believes are used as distractions. Walz said lawmakers were hearing from “families impacted” and insisted that those conversations should happen in public and lead to a clear up-or-down vote on magazines and “assault weapons.” 

Noir Calls It Performance Politics

Gun-rights advocate Colion Noir responded that Walz was having a “full-on meltdown” because Republicans wouldn’t play “hunger games of gun control politics.” Noir said the governor’s “not acceptable” line sounded like a tantrum and argued this is standard legislative hardball. When Democrats run chambers, he noted, pro-gun bills get boxed out all the time without anyone shouting “threat to democracy.” To Noir, this was the same tactic – just used in the other direction. 

The “Viral Clip” Accusation

Noir pressed the idea that Walz’s real goal was a made-for-social-media moment. He said the governor wanted to “stand at the podium, look sad, and blame Republicans” so he could blast out a highlight reel later. That, Noir argued, explains why the demand was framed as a simple, righteous floor vote rather than a detailed policy debate. If the point is a quick viral clip, the process becomes the message, not the details of enforcement or outcomes. 

Do Magazine Bans Change Criminal Behavior?

On substance, Noir argued that a magazine ban would not move the needle on street crime in Minneapolis. His point was blunt: criminals do not care about floor votes, bans, or press conferences. He joked that a carjacker isn’t checking the legislature’s website before deciding what gear to use. In his view, restricting capacity mostly hits lawful owners, while people committing robberies and shootings ignore the rule and carry on as before.

What Walz Says He Wants

Walz, for his part, asked for one clear thing: “a floor vote on high-capacity magazines and assault weapons” so “members vote on it.” He said if Republicans think the idea is bad, they should “simply vote no.” He also said he’s “supportive” of mental health measures and claimed Democrats have brought such bills before in the past, even if Republicans voted against them. Walz’s message: let’s have the debate in public and take real votes. 

Noir’s Alternate Agenda For Safety

Noir said the “conversation” Walz wants is a rerun – ban this, regulate that – while the real issues are repeat offenders and weak accountability. He pushed for enforcing existing laws, keeping violent criminals off the streets, and focusing penalties where they matter. He pointed to cities with strict gun laws but high violence, arguing that rules on capacity don’t solve underlying crime cycles or prosecutorial leniency.

The Security Double Standard Claim

Noir also hit the familiar “rules for thee” theme. When politicians feel unsafe, he said, they “surround themselves with more guns” – armed details, police, even SWAT. But when ordinary people feel threatened, they’re told ten rounds should be enough and to “call 911.” His analogy: calling for help in an emergency can be like ordering food in a thunderstorm – maybe it gets there in time, maybe not. That mismatch, he argued, is why capacity limits feel unfair to many citizens.

What “High-Capacity” Means In This Fight

Walz used the phrase “high-capacity magazines,” while Noir pressed the practical effects. The video and remarks did not delve into technical definitions, carve-outs, or compliance steps, which is often where these bills live or die. That gap matters. If lawmakers want buy-in, they need plain definitions, clear grandfathering rules, and realistic enforcement plans. Without those details, the debate becomes a symbol – one side chasing a headline, the other bracing for confusion.

The Politics Of Floor Control

Both sides know the power of the agenda. Walz says leadership should put the bill on the floor and let the votes fall. Republicans say controlling the calendar is part of the job. Noir’s critique is that this outrage only runs one way – when the majority blocks gun-rights bills, it’s “process,” but when the minority blocks gun-control bills, it’s “democracy in crisis.” That asymmetry fuels distrust and keeps the issue stuck in trench warfare. 

A Better Way To Argue This

There’s a cleaner path. If the governor wants a vote, publish the draft and the data. Show how the bill would be enforced, how many crimes it would touch, what the projected effects are on violence, and how you’ll protect ordinary owners from paperwork traps. If Republicans think it fails on outcomes, they should table a counter-package on repeat offenders, straw purchasers, and faster gun-crime prosecutions. That gives Minnesotans two concrete plans instead of two press strategies.

Measure What Matters

Public safety rises when violent people face quick, certain consequences and communities get focused prevention. If magazine limits are the centerpiece, prove they reduce shootings in a measurable way in a city like Minneapolis. If enforcement is the centerpiece, prove that swifter prosecutions and targeted interdiction actually cut repeat gun crime. Pick metrics now and report back in six months. Voters deserve receipts, not reels.

What Comes Next In Minnesota

For now, Republicans control the calendar and Walz doesn’t have his floor vote. He says talks are “ongoing” and he’s “open to a deal.” Noir says this was a stunt for headlines and won’t change criminal behavior. The larger fight – capacity limits versus enforcement focus – will come back the next time both sides need an issue to rally their base. When it does, Walz’s podium lines and Noir’s rebuttals will be ready. The question is whether anyone brings a plan that actually moves the numbers.

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