The two top candidates running to represent Minnesota’s 8th Districts in Washington D.C. have a history of guns. Congressman Rick Nolan who’s running for re-election is a duck hunter, while Republican challenger Stewart Mills’ company sells guns. We asked both candidates what their gun policy is.
We contacted both Congressman Nolan and Mr. Mills’ campaign teams last week requesting an interview. Mr. Mills campaign team says his schedule was too full, but gave us this emailed statement, “I’ll defend our Constitutional rights, including the 2nd Amendment. Politicians like Rick Nolan would rather create new laws taking away our right to bear arms, rather than enforcing the ones we have already. His votes and positions against his 2nd Amendment are the reasons why he’s F rated by the NRA.”
Nolans says, “I believe very firmly and strongly in the 2nd Amendment. But I don’t have a problem with background checks for people who’ve been adjudicated as violently criminal or people with mental illness, particularly of a violent nature. So I don’t have a problem with background checks. And I don’t understand why some people like my opponent do.”
A 2013 Bradley Report found 7 of the top 10 states with the strongest gun laws had the lowest gun death rate, while 9 of the top 10 states with the highest gun death rate received the worst grade for weakest gun laws.
Nisswa Police Chief Craig Taylor says, “It’s very important that law bidding citizens that want to acquire and carry a firearm are allowed to do that. But it’s as important that tools are available for law enforcement such as background checks to ensure people that are not qualified or are not law-biding citizens are not able to carry a firearm or acquire a firearm.”
We told both candidates about the Bradley Reports findings.
Nolan says, “Well first of all it’s difficult to compare Los Angeles, New York and Chicago, let alone St. Paul Minneapolis to Utah and Wyoming. It’s just hard to compare those states. Um I think a few background checks to keep guns out of the hands of murders and terrorists and violent criminals and people who might be violently insane is just common sense it’s reasonable.”
When we emailed Mr. Mills’ campaign team the same question about states with weaker gun laws having a higher gun death rate, Mr. Mills chose not to answer the question in his statement, but rather restated their previously quoted gun policy. Scott Sheahen Lakeland News.

By — Lakeland PBS

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