In the weeks since the Minneapolis shooting of Alex Pretti in Minneapolis, the notion of the "liberal gun owner" has gone through one of its periodic blooms in popularity.
Pretti was a Minnesota carry permittee who was carrying legally at the time he was shot (*). Of course, some administration officials made some very ill-advised, badly-informed statements after the shooting, part of a badly botched crisis management PR effort that the administration has been walking back - but the remarks have prompted some on fhte left (and among libertarians) to claim the GOP is now "anti-Second Amendment", and the left is the real protector of civil rights, including gun rights.
My response: "Then why do Democrats always revert back to their gun-grabbing mean every time they get the power to do it?"
Case in point: Virginia.
They now have the "trifecta" - complete control of both chambers of the Legislature, plus the governor.
And the Democrats' real attitude toward the Second Amendment and law-abiding gun owners could not be clearer; they've resurrected a radical series of gun grab bills once vetoed by former Governor Younkin:
🚨Virginia Democrats Attack Gun Owners
— VAREDWATCH (@VaRedWatch) January 26, 2026
They are making it illegal to:
-Sell or purchase an assault rifle
-Own a magazine that holds more than 10 rounds
-Require guns to be stored in lockers
-Owning "ghost-guns" without a serial number
This is only the start.
Read Here:… pic.twitter.com/bDgcjmvKxx
Democratic lawmakers on Monday advanced a sweeping slate of gun safety proposals — many of them previously vetoed by former Gov. Glenn Youngkin — as they test whether Virginia’s new Democratic governor, Abigail Spanberger, will take a more favorable view of firearm restrictions.
Over nearly four hours, the Democratic-led Senate Courts of Justice Committee approved more than half a dozen bills tightening rules on assault-style firearms, gun storage, concealed carry reciprocity, ghost guns and weapons in public spaces, while rejecting the lone Republican proposal that would have increased mandatory minimum sentences for repeat firearm offenses.
All of the votes fell along party lines.
The NRA's Colion Noir breaks down what the bills will do if, as is very likely, they are passed into law:
Virginia is pushing a slew of new gun bills — and SB 496 may be one of the most dangerous yet.
— Colion Noir (@MrColionNoir) February 1, 2026
Under this proposal, lawful gun owners could face criminal charges for doing what they’ve been told to do for years: locking their firearm in their vehicle when entering a gun-free… pic.twitter.com/EIV9macexM
These are similar to bills that the Minnesota DFL has proposed on both occasions where they held the "Trifecta"; if enacted, they would result in the confiscation, sooner or later, of about 2/3 of the legal firearms in the state.
Now, if you're a keen-eyed Supreme Court-watcher, especially in regards to 2nd Amendment issues, you might notice that some of these bills run directly counter to the court's Bruen decision - which ruled that the Amendment applies to "commonly owned" firearms and accessories; "assault weapons" have gone from being a little exotic 30 years ago to being very common today.
And the Feds are not ignoring that fact:
🚨 JUST IN: Assistant AG Harmeet Dhillon CONFIRMS that Virginia Democrats' proposed draconian firearm ban "WILL NOT STAND"
— Eric Daugherty (@EricLDaugh) January 26, 2026
This bill would basically BAN ALL firearm ownership — "any semi-automatic center-fire rifle or pistol that expels single or multiple projectiles," and a… pic.twitter.com/lZcGwkB6wQ
Which is great - provided you can count on the Feds always being on your side when state and local government violates the Constitution.
Which is going to be the subject of another piece this week. Stay tuned.
(*) He wasn't carrying his ID, as required by state law, which does not invalidate a Minnesota carry permit. Once law enforcement determines you are a permit holder, it's a petty misdemeanor with at $25 fine that must be canceled on producing the permit and ID. Your state laws will likely vary.
