By Dave Workman
Editor-in-Chief
The chairman of Minnesota’s leading gun rights organization, the Minnesota Gun Owners Caucus (MGOC), has posted a message on the group’s website acknowledging the tough spot Second Amendment activists are in following the midterm elections, warning them to get ready for a fight.
“And no matter what happens in Saint Paul,” says Bryan Strawser, “the Caucus is never, ever going to stop fighting.”
“I’m not going to sugarcoat it,” Strawser’s message makes clear. “With a DFL trifecta, we may well lose at the Legislature, and we may lose big. Bills we stopped by one vote in 2026 could pass in 2027.
“If they do,” he declares, “we’re going to win this in court. We’ve done it before: the binary trigger ban, the age-21 carry ban. Our Law Center is ready, and the Supreme Court hears the AR-15 ban case, Viramontes, on December 2.”
Like grassroots gun rights activists in several other states, MGOC is admittedly operating “behind enemy lines.” The midterm election was a disaster for the Second Amendment. Power shifted entirely to DFL anti-gunners, and Governor-elect Amy Klobuchar is already promising to sign legislation banning so-called “assault weapons,” even though the US Supreme Court could declare such bans unconstitutional by mid-2027.
KWLM Radio is reporting Tuesday that incoming DFL House Speaker-designate Zack Stephenson is already saying “gun violence prevention legislation will be among the first priorities when lawmakers return in January.” He also says litigation challenging gun control laws should not prevent the new Democrat majority from acting on guns.
The group is state affiliate of the Citizens Committee for the Right to Keep and Bear Arms.
MGOC’s advice to North Star State gun owners could easily apply to Second Amendment activists everywhere, whether they’re in Virginia, Oregon, Ohio, California or some other state.
In a section of Strawser’s message headlined, “Here’s what the fight ahead needs from you,” are four points activists could commit to memory as their 2027 marching orders. MGOC says the effort “needs strong, committed Second Amendment advocates who won’t shy away from a hard fight or hard times. That means:
- Showing up for hearings. Legislative rules require only 72 hours’ notice before a hearing, and we don’t expect the DFL majority to give us a minute more. Sign up for our action alerts so you know the moment a hearing is posted, and be ready to call, email, testify, or fill the room.
- Coming to the Second Amendment Day of Action. Gun owners from across Minnesota at the Capitol, face to face with their own legislators. We’ll announce the date through our alerts. Plan to be there, and bring someone with you.
- Organizing to get out the vote in 2028. Every seat in the Minnesota House is on the ballot in 2028. The work of winning it back starts now, in your county, your precinct, and your gun club.
- Supporting this fight with every fiber of your being. Join the Caucus. Become a monthly Defender. Tell your friends. The other side is well funded. We win because there are more of us, and because we don’t quit.
The group also has an action guide, which reminds readers, “No party and no election protects your rights. People who show up do. Not one gun control bill passed in 2025 or 2026 because gun owners sent hundreds of thousands of emails, made tens of thousands of calls, and filled hearing rooms. The 2027 session starts January 12 with a Legislature that has promised a gun ban. The work is the same as it was before the election, only more urgent.”
The action guide advises:
- Sign up for action alerts. We email and text when a bill moves and your call matters most. Everything else on this page starts here.
- Find your legislators. You have one state senator and one state representative. Save their names, phone numbers, and email addresses now, before session starts.
- Know what’s coming. Read what to expect in 2027 and bookmark the Bill Tracker.
- Follow our YouTube channel. Bill breakdowns, hearing highlights, and quick updates from the Capitol all session.
When an alert comes in
Act the same day. Hearings are often announced just days ahead, and written testimony is usually due before the hearing.
- Use the Action Center. It sends your message to the right legislators in under two minutes.
- Then call. A call carries more weight than an email. Say your name, that you live in the district, the bill number, and how you want them to vote. Be brief and polite. Staff keep a tally.
- Forward the alert to one friend who shoots, hunts, or carries.
Who to contact
Always contact your own senator and representative: they answer to you. When a bill is in committee, the committee members matter most, and the chair decides whether a bill gets a hearing at all. Our alerts tell you which committee has the bill, and the Action Center can reach every member at once.”
Battle lines are clearly drawn. In Minnesota, the next few months are likely to provide a wild ride for gun owners.
