Just days into Minnesota’s 2026 legislative session, the anti-2A crowd is wasting no time dusting off their tired playbook. As Bryan Strawser, chair of the MN Gun Owners Caucus, exposes in his latest update, Democrat lawmakers are already gunning for assault weapons—that nebulous, fear-mongering term they’ve weaponized for years to demonize everything from AR-15s to standard-issue rifles. This isn’t some organic policy debate; it’s a calculated preemptive strike, likely teed up by out-of-state groups like Everytown or Giffords, who funnel cash into blue strongholds to erode rights one session at a time. Strawser’s intel reveals bills bubbling up fast, with hearings possibly looming before pro-2A voices can even mobilize.

What’s clever here—and infuriating—is the timing. Minnesota’s DFL supermajority, fresh off their 2023 red-flag law and permit-to-purchase schemes, knows the clock is ticking. With national momentum building post-2024 elections (hello, SCOTUS’s growing 6-3 conservative tilt andBruen fallout), they’re rushing to codify restrictions before federal courts smack them down again. Think about it: assault weapon bans have crumbled in states like Illinois under legal fire, yet Minnesota Dems are betting on volume over viability, hoping to overwhelm with copy-paste legislation. This mirrors the post-Parkland frenzy, where emotional optics trumped constitutionality—until cases like Caetano v. Massachusetts reminded us the 2A protects common arms.

For the 2A community, the implications scream urgency: pack those committee rooms, flood capitol switchboards, and support groups like MN Gun Owners Caucus now. If this gains traction, it sets a template for other Midwest battlegrounds like Wisconsin or Michigan. But here’s the silver lining—overreach breeds backlash. Voter fatigue with crime surges and feckless gun control is real; pair that with Strawser’s grassroots savvy, and this could boomerang into electoral gold for 2026. Stay vigilant, Minnesota—your rights aren’t negotiating.