# Minnesota GOP Gubernatorial Hopeful Kendall Qualls Draws a Bead on Gun Rights and Public Safety
In a no-nonsense sit-down with Rochester gun owners, Minnesota GOP gubernatorial candidate Kendall Qualls didn’t mince words on Second Amendment issues, blending pro-2A advocacy with a sharp focus on public safety. Qualls, a former Fortune 500 exec and Army vet who’s no stranger to standing firm against Minneapolis-style chaos, fielded questions on everything from permitless carry to combating urban crime waves. He championed Minnesota’s recent shift toward constitutional carry—signed into law last year under Gov. Tim Walz’s reluctant watch—as a win for law-abiding citizens, while slamming soft-on-crime policies that have turned parts of the state into no-go zones. Guns don’t commit crimes; criminals with guns do, Qualls hammered home, echoing the data-driven reality that armed citizens deter violence far better than gun grabs ever could.
This isn’t just red-meat rhetoric for the base—it’s a savvy play in a battleground state where Democrats have long painted gun owners as the problem. Qualls smartly ties 2A rights to the broader public safety crisis: Minnesota’s violent crime spiked 20% post-2020 riots (FBI stats), with cities like Rochester eyeing proactive measures amid rising thefts and assaults. By positioning himself as the guy who’ll empower concealed carriers without turning suburbs into war zones, he’s flipping the script on Walz’s failed equity experiment. Implications for the 2A community? Huge. A Qualls win could solidify Minnesota as a concealed-carry stronghold, shielding reforms from DFL assaults and inspiring purple-state holdouts. Nationally, it signals GOP candidates must weave self-defense into crime-fighting narratives to peel off moderates weary of both gun bans and unchecked thuggery—proving the right to keep and bear arms isn’t fringe, it’s frontline defense.
Gun owners in flyover country, take note: Qualls is modeling how to win hearts, minds, and elections without apology. If you’re in Minnesota, hit up his campaign site and show up armed with your vote. The stakes? Your rights, your safety, your state.
