Gov. Tim Walz on Monday highlighted statewide polling that shows strong, widespread support for banning the sale of assault-style weapons in Minnesota. According to the poll, nearly seven in 10 Minnesotans (69%) support a ban, with even higher levels of support in the suburbs (79%). The poll comes as gun violence incidents have shaken the state and nation and after the Governor held town halls in communities across the state focused on solutions to gun violence.
“It could not be any more clear that the public is demanding action on the assault weapons that have caused terror and heartbreak for our state,” said Walz. “I’m a lifelong hunter and gun owner, but there is no reason for anyone to have the ability to fire 119 rounds into a building full of children in a matter of seconds. With a divided legislature, we are going to need to see courage from Republican legislators in getting this done.”
The poll shows that 69% of Minnesotans support banning assault-style weapons such as AR-15s. Support is strong across the state, with 71% in the Twin Cities, 79% in the suburbs, and 62% in Greater Minnesota. The poll shows that 46% of Republican respondents support an assault-style weapons ban.
Democrats overwhelmingly support an assault weapons ban (89%), while Republicans are more divided.
While 52% of Republicans oppose the ban, 46% support it, including 36% who strongly support, suggesting the issue may not be as uniformly partisan as national headlines suggest.
The crossover is even more pronounced on this specific policy. Only 33% of Republicans support making gun laws “more strict” in general, but 46% support the assault weapons ban. That 13-point gap shows the specific proposal has broader appeal than the general concept.
More than 8 in 10 suburban women (86%) back a ban, compared with 72% of suburban men. The gender gap is actually larger in Minneapolis-St. Paul proper. Urban women (83%) and suburban women (86%) support a ban at nearly identical rates. The difference lies with men: just 62% of Minneapolis-St. Paul men support a ban, compared with 72% of suburban men.
