Minnesota Governor Resorts to Executive Power After Losing Legislative Support

Gov. Tim Walz confronted a stark political reality when he recently signed two executive orders dealing with gun control, a move that exposed his inability to advance his gun control agenda through the Minnesota State Legislature. The executive actions represent an acknowledgment that Walz lacks the votes necessary to pass his proposed restrictions on firearms and ammunition through normal legislative channels, thereby forcing him to pursue unconstitutional executive power grabs.

The governor took action on December 16, 2025, after months of failed attempts to build legislative support for restrictions on so-called “assault weapons” and high-capacity magazines. His orders create a statewide safety council to examine gun violence and call for tracking the costs of firearm-related incidents while funding gun storage education programs. One measure promotes red flag laws, court directives that temporarily remove firearms from individuals deemed dangerous.

The political mathematics behind Walz’s executive strategy became clear when examining the composition of the Minnesota State Legislature. Democrats maintain only a precarious 34-33 advantage in the State Senate, while Republicans command a 67-65 majority in the State House. This divided government reality means Walz cannot advance gun control legislation through both chambers, leaving executive orders as his only remaining option to pursue his firearms agenda.

Walz attempted to frame his actions as protective rather than restrictive. “These actions today don’t limit your freedoms at all. Being shot dead in your school certainly does,” Walz said. “There’s no one fix to this, but there are certainly things that we know. There are certain things we’ve learned globally that make a difference, and these two actions will be another step in that direction.”

The governor’s efforts originated from the deadly mass shooting at Minneapolis’ Annunciation Catholic Church and School in late August. For months following that tragedy, Walz pursued legislative support for a special session dedicated to passing new gun laws, but those attempts collapsed amid Republican opposition and uncertainty about whether all Democrats would support his proposals in the evenly divided chambers.

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Republicans dismissed the executive orders as political theater that avoided addressing underlying causes of violence. Senate Minority Leader Mark Johnson of East Grand Forks criticized the approach in a written statement. “Executive action to study and educate the public on gun safety are not actual solutions to keeping kids safe in school,” Johnson said. “Addressing mental health, intervening before a crisis turns violent, and active safety protocols are real solutions that Republicans support to keep our kids safe.”

The Minnesota Gun Owners Caucus characterized the orders as deliberately modest to avoid provoking legal challenges. Bryan Strawser, the caucus chair, declared in a statement that “What we got today were low-impact orders that serve more as political cover than meaningful policy. It’s a distraction from the fact that the governor couldn’t build support for his agenda within his own party.”

Minnesota GOP Chair Alex Plechash described the executive orders as a “clear admission of weakness” reflecting Walz’s failure to secure support from his own party for a special session that would have pursued “an extreme, partisan gun ban.” Republicans repeatedly challenged Walz to produce formal legislation detailing which specific firearms he sought to prohibit and implementation procedures, demands the governor never fulfilled.

Walz had vowed to pursue gun control measures “one way or another” after the Annunciation shooting and discussed calling a special session throughout the fall. However, House Republicans rejected the prospect of a session focused exclusively on the governor’s priorities, and questions persisted about whether Walz commanded unanimous Democratic support in both the narrowly divided chambers.

The governor expressed frustration with the legislative stalemate while committing to renewed efforts when lawmakers reconvene in February 2026. Of the affected families attending Tuesday’s announcement, Walz said, “There’s frustration, and I have told them it’s my responsibility to do all I can to move it. will do what I can do. We did a lot of research on these. It’s taken a while to make sure we were locked in on what we were able to get, but we’ll continue to do more of it. It’s the proliferation of parents. They expect action. They expect us to do things.”

The executive orders stand as evidence that Walz’s gun control ambitions have collided with the structural realities of Minnesota’s divided legislature, where neither party possesses the unified control necessary to advance sweeping firearms restrictions. For the time being, gun owners in Minnesota can breathe a sigh of relief knowing that gun control won’t be expeditiously passed in the near future.

About José Niño

José Niño is a freelance writer based in Charlotte, North Carolina. You can contact him via Facebook and X/Twitter. Subscribe to his Substack newsletter by visiting “Jose Nino Unfiltered” on Substack.com.