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The trusted voice of Minnesota's Gun Owners to Defend and Restore the Right to Keep and Bear Arms

Last Updated:  October 29th, 2024

The Minnesota Gun Owners Caucus issues grades for candidates in 2024 in the following races:

  • Minnesota Legislature
    • State Representative
    • State Senator (Special Election)

Our connected political fund, the Minnesota Gun Owners Political Action Committee, issues endorsements in these races.

Our grades are based on a number of factors, including a candidate survey that was sent to each candidate, their public record of votes and statements, and grades from like-minded gun rights organizations. All grading recommendations are reviewed and approved by our board.

Our candidate survey covers a number of gun rights topics, including constitutional carry, self-defense law reform (stand your ground), licensing and registration, universal background checks, the right to keep and bear arms, and related topics.

We have explained generally in our notes where we have lowered a candidate’s score based on specific survey answers or votes.

In order to receive a grade of A- or higher, a candidate must support all of our legislative priorities, including Stand your Ground and Constitutional Carry, and must oppose all gun control legislation. Our PAC only endorses candidates who receive the grade of A- or higher, support our core legislative priorities of Constitutional Carry and Stand your Ground, and asks for our endorsement in the survey process.

Candidates who have a track record in office, such as a voting record and/or authorship of bills, will also have their record taken into account for grading and endorsement purposes.

I'm a candidate and my grade is not showing

Please send us a copy of your survey to contact@gunowners.mn and we’ll review and post a grade quickly.

Federal Races

The Minnesota Gun Owners Caucus & PAC does not grade or issue endorsements in federal races.

State Senate (Special Election)

Race Name Party Survey Grade Endorsement Notes
State Senator District 45 Ann Johnson Stewart DFL N F Supports every form of gun control ever proposed
State Senator District 45 Kathleen Fowke R N ?

State House of Representatives

Race Name Party Survey Grade Endorsement Notes
State Representative District 1A James Sceville DFL N ?
State Representative District 1A John Burkel R Y A ENDORSED
State Representative District 1B Steve Gander R Y A (P) ENDORSED
State Representative District 1B Mike Christopherson DFL N ?
State Representative District 2A Reed Olson DFL N ?
State Representative District 2A Bidal Duran Jr R Y A (P) ENDORSED
State Representative District 2B Matt Bliss R Y A+ ENDORSED
State Representative District 2B Michael Reyes DFL N ?
State Representative District 3A Harley Droba DFL N ?
State Representative District 3A Roger J. Skraba R N A
State Representative District 3A Rich Tru FPI N ?
State Representative District 3B Natalie Zeleznikar R Y A ENDORSED
State Representative District 3B Mark Munger DFL N F
State Representative District 4A Joshua Zincke R N ?
State Representative District 4A Heather M. Keeler DFL N F
State Representative District 4B Jim Joy R Y A ENDORSED
State Representative District 5A Krista Knudsen R Y A ENDORSED
State Representative District 5A Brian Hobson DFL N ?
State Representative District 5B Mike Wiener R N A
State Representative District 5B Gregg Hendrickson DFL N ?
State Representative District 6A Earl Butenhoff DFL N ?
State Representative District 6A Ben Davis R Y A ENDORSED
State Representative District 6B Josh Heintzeman R Y A ENDORSED
State Representative District 6B Emily LeClaire DFL N ?
State Representative District 6B Troy Kenneth Scheffler AF N ?
State Representative District 7A Aron Schnaser DFL N ?
State Representative District 7A Spencer Igo R Y A ENDORSED
State Representative District 7B Cal Warwas R Y A (P) ENDORSED
State Representative District 7B Lorrie Janatopoulos DFL N F
State Representative District 8A Mark McGrew R N ?
State Representative District 8A Peter Johnson DFL N ?
State Representative District 8B Alicia (Liish) Kozlowski DFL N F
State Representative District 8B Shawn Savela R Y A (P) ENDORSED
State Representative District 9A Jeff Backer R N A
State Representative District 9A Michael Ziomko DFL N ?
State Representative District 9B Tom Murphy R Y A ENDORSED
State Representative District 9B Jason Satter DFL N ?
State Representative District 10A Ron Kresha R N A
State Representative District 10A Julia Samsal Hipp DFL N ?
State Representative District 10B Isaac Schultz R Y A ENDORSED
State Representative District 10B JoEllen Burns DFL N ?
State Representative District 11A Jeff Dotseth R Y A ENDORSED
State Representative District 11A Pete Radosevich DFL N ?
State Representative District 11B Eric Olson DFL N ?
State Representative District 11B Nathan Nelson R N A
State Representative District 12A Paul H. Anderson R Y A ENDORSED
State Representative District 12A Becky K. Parker DFL N ?
State Representative District 12B Mary Franson R Y A+ ENDORSED
State Representative District 12B Judd Hoff DFL N F
State Representative District 13A Cindy Aho DFL N ?
State Representative District 13A Lisa Demuth R Y A+ ENDORSED
State Representative District 13B Tim O’Driscoll R Y A ENDORSED
State Representative District 13B Dusty Bolstad DFL N ?
State Representative District 14A Abdi Daisane DFL N ?
State Representative District 14A Bernie Perryman R Y A ENDORSED
State Representative District 14B Sue Ek R Y A (P) ENDORSED
State Representative District 14B Dan Wolgamott DFL N F
State Representative District 15A Chris Swedzinski R N A
State Representative District 15A Anthony M Studemann DFL N ?
State Representative District 15B Paul Torkelson R N A
State Representative District 15B Tom Kuster DFL N ?
State Representative District 16A Scott Van Binsbergen R Y A (P) ENDORSED
State Representative District 16A Kathy Hegstad DFL N ?
State Representative District 16B Josiah Ampian DFL N ?
State Representative District 16B Dave Baker R N A
State Representative District 17A Dawn Gillman R Y A ENDORSED
State Representative District 17A Chad Tschimperle DFL N ?
State Representative District 17B Bobbie Harder R Y A ENDORSED
State Representative District 17B Jennifer Nuesse DFL N ?
State Representative District 18A Jeff Brand DFL N F
State Representative District 18A Erica Schwartz R N ?
State Representative District 18B Dar Vosburg R N ?
State Representative District 18B Luke Frederick DFL N F
State Representative District 19A Jessica Navarro DFL N ?
State Representative District 19A Keith Allen R Y A (P) ENDORSED
State Representative District 19B Thomas J. Sexton R Y A (P) ENDORSED
State Representative District 19B Edelgard Fernandez Mejia DFL N ?
State Representative District 20A Pam Altendorf R Y A ENDORSED
State Representative District 20A Heather Arndt DFL N ?
State Representative District 20B Steven E Jacob R Y A ENDORSED
State Representative District 20B Michael Hutchinson DFL N ?
State Representative District 21A Joe Schomacker R Y A ENDORSED
State Representative District 21A Creedence Petroff IA N ?
State Representative District 21B Marj J Fogelman R N A
State Representative District 21B Jon Wilson DFL N ?
State Representative District 22A Marisa Ulmen DFL N ?
State Representative District 22A Bjorn Olson R N ?
State Representative District 22B Terry M. Stier R N ?
State Representative District 22B Sara Nett-Torgrimson DFL N ?
State Representative District 23A Joe Staloch DFL N ?
State Representative District 23A Peggy Bennett R Y A ENDORSED
State Representative District 23B Patricia Mueller R Y A ENDORSED
State Representative District 23B Joseph Pacovsky DFL N ?
State Representative District 24A Heather Holmes DFL N ?
State Representative District 24A Duane Quam R N A
State Representative District 24B Dan Sepeda R N ?
State Representative District 24B Tina Liebling DFL N F
State Representative District 25A Kim Hicks DFL N F
State Representative District 25A Ken Navitsky R Y A (P) ENDORSED
State Representative District 25B Wes Lund R N ?
State Representative District 25B Andy Smith DFL N F
State Representative District 26A Sarah Kruger DFL N ?
State Representative District 26A Aaron Repinski R N ?
State Representative District 26B Gregory M. Davids R N A
State Representative District 26B Allie Wolf DFL N ?
State Representative District 27A Shane Mekeland R Y A+ ENDORSED
State Representative District 27A Kathryn A. Geary DFL N ?
State Representative District 27B Bryan Lawrence R Y A (P) ENDORSED
State Representative District 27B Andrew Scouten DFL N ?
State Representative District 28A James “Jimmy” Gordon R Y A (P) ENDORSED
State Representative District 28A Tim Dummer DFL N ?
State Representative District 28B Mary J Murphy DFL N ?
State Representative District 28B Max Rymer R Y A (P) ENDORSED
State Representative District 29A Joe McDonald R N A
State Representative District 29A Chris Brazelton DFL N ?
State Representative District 29B Marion (O’Neill) Rarick R Y A+ ENDORSED
State Representative District 29B Colton Kratky DFL N ?
State Representative District 30A Sonja Buckmeier DFL N F
State Representative District 30A Walter Hudson R Y A+ ENDORSED
State Representative District 30B Paul Novotny R Y A+ ENDORSED
State Representative District 30B Paul Bolin DFL Y F Claims to oppose new gun control, but survey supports raising age to 21, mandatory firearm registration, opposes constitutional carry
State Representative District 31A Harry Niska R Y A+ ENDORSED
State Representative District 31A Dara Grimmer DFL N ?
State Representative District 31B Peggy Scott R Y A+ ENDORSED
State Representative District 31B Gadisa Berkessa DFL N ?
State Representative District 32A Ashton Ramsammy DFL N ?
State Representative District 32A Nolan West R Y B Opposes constitutional carry
State Representative District 32B Alex Moe R N ?
State Representative District 32B Matt Norris DFL N F
State Representative District 33A Jake Ross DFL N ?
State Representative District 33A Patti Anderson R N A
State Representative District 33B Jessica L. Johnson R N ?
State Representative District 33B Josiah Hill DFL N F
State Representative District 34A Brian Raines DFL N ?
State Representative District 34A Danny Nadeau R N A
State Representative District 34B Scott Simmons R N ?
State Representative District 34B Melissa Hortman DFL N F
State Representative District 35A Zack Stephenson DFL N F
State Representative District 35A Josh Jungling R N ?
State Representative District 35B Steve Pape R N ?
State Representative District 35B Kari Rehrauer DFL N F
State Representative District 36A Janelle Calhoun DFL N ?
State Representative District 36A Elliot Engen R N A
State Representative District 36B Patty Bradway R Y A (P) ENDORSED
State Representative District 36B Brion Curran DFL N F
State Representative District 37A Laurie Wolfe DFL N ?
State Representative District 37A Kristin Robbins R Y A
State Representative District 37B John R. Bristol R Y A (P) ENDORSED
State Representative District 37B Kristin Bahner DFL N F
State Representative District 38A Brad Olson R N ?
State Representative District 38A Huldah Hiltsley DFL N ?
State Representative District 38B Robert Marvin R Y A (P) ENDORSED
State Representative District 38B Samantha Vang DFL N F
State Representative District 39A Rod Sylvester R N ?
State Representative District 39A Erin Koegel DFL N F
State Representative District 39B Sandra Feist DFL N F
State Representative District 39B Kt Jacobs R Y F Opposes MN RKBA Amendment, opposes constitutional carry, opposes stand your ground, supports “assault weapons” ban, supports magazine restrictions, supports mandatory registration of firearms, supports mandatory licening of gun owners, supports requiring liability insurance, supports a 30 day waiting period, supports red flag laws, supports a ban on homemade firearms, supports safe storage laws
State Representative District 40A Kelly Moller DFL N F
State Representative District 40B Curtis Johnson DFL N ?
State Representative District 40B Paul Wikstrom R N ?
State Representative District 41A Wayne A Johnson R N ?
State Representative District 41A Lucia Wroblewski DFL N F
State Representative District 41B Jen Fox DFL N ?
State Representative District 41B Tom Dippel R Y A (P) ENDORSED
State Representative District 42A Kathy Burkett R Y A (P) ENDORSED
State Representative District 42A Ned Carroll DFL N ?
State Representative District 42B Ginny Klevorn DFL N F
State Representative District 42B Perry Nouis R N ?
State Representative District 43A Todd Hesemann R Y A (P) ENDORSED
State Representative District 43A Cedrick B. Frazier DFL N F
State Representative District 43B Mike Freiberg DFL N F
State Representative District 43B Steve Merriman R Y F Opposes 2A constitutional amendment, would ban homemade firearms, supports red flags
State Representative District 44A Peter M Fischer DFL N F
State Representative District 44A Karla J. Nelson R N ?
State Representative District 44B Leon M. Lillie DFL N F
State Representative District 44B Bill Dahn R N ?
State Representative District 44B TJ Hawthorne LIB Y A (P) ENDORSED
State Representative District 45A Andrew Myers R N C Voted for binary trigger ban on initial passage; later voted against binary trigger ban on final passage. Voted against removing universal background checks in 2023 from the Public Safety Omnibus, later voted against UBCs on final passage
State Representative District 45A Tracey Breazeale DFL N ?
State Representative District 45B Patty Acomb DFL N F
State Representative District 46A Larry Kraft DFL N F
State Representative District 46A John Nagel R Y A (P) ENDORSED
State Representative District 46B Kim Rich R N ?
State Representative District 46B Cheryl Youakim DFL N F
State Representative District 47A Amanda Hemmingsen-Jaeger DFL N F
State Representative District 47A Teresa Whitson R N ?
State Representative District 47B Dwight Dorau R Y A (P) ENDORSED
State Representative District 47B Ethan Cha DFL N F
State Representative District 48A Nathan Kells DFL N ?
State Representative District 48A Jim Nash R Y A+ ENDORSED
State Representative District 48B Caleb Steffenhagen R N ?
State Representative District 48B Lucille “Lucy” Rehm DFL N F
State Representative District 49A Stacy L. Bettison R N ?
State Representative District 49A Alex Falconer DFL N ?
State Representative District 49B Wendi Russo R N ?
State Representative District 49B Carlie Kotyza-Witthuhn DFL N F
State Representative District 50A Owen Michaelson R N ?
State Representative District 50A Julie Greene DFL N ?
State Representative District 50B Steve Elkins DFL N F
State Representative District 50B Bob Gust R N ?
State Representative District 51A Michael Howard DFL N F
State Representative District 51A Jeffrey Thompson R N ?
State Representative District 51B Lion Dale Johnson R Y C Supports a waiting period on firearm purchases
State Representative District 51B Nathan Coulter DFL N F
State Representative District 52A Liz Reyer DFL N F
State Representative District 52A Diane Anderson R N ?
State Representative District 52B Douglas Willetts R N ?
State Representative District 52B Bianca Virnig DFL N F
State Representative District 53A Mary Frances Clardy DFL N F
State Representative District 53A Nathan Herschbach R N ?
State Representative District 53B Rick Hansen DFL N F
State Representative District 53B Aaron M. Brooksby R N ?
State Representative District 54A Brad Tabke DFL N F
State Representative District 54A Aaron Paul R Y B Supports banning home made firearms
State Representative District 54B Ben Bakeberg R Y B Opposes constitutional carry
State Representative District 54B Jean Lee DFL N ?
State Representative District 55A Gabriela Kroetch R Y A (P) ENDORSED
State Representative District 55A Jessica Hanson DFL N F
State Representative District 55B Van Holston R Y C Supports raising age to 21 for long guns, supports a waiting period of 3 days
State Representative District 55B Kaela Berg DFL N F
State Representative District 56A Angela Zorn R Y A (P) ENDORSED
State Representative District 56A Robert Bierman DFL N F
State Representative District 56B Angeline Anderson R Y A (P) ENDORSED
State Representative District 56B John Huot DFL N F
State Representative District 57A Jon Koznick R N A
State Representative District 57A Veda Kanitz DFL N ?
State Representative District 57B Brian Cohn DFL N ?
State Representative District 57B Jeff Witte R Y B+ Voted for binary trigger ban on initial passage, voted against it for final passage.
State Representative District 58A Rita Hillmann Olson R N ?
State Representative District 58A Kristi Pursell DFL N F
State Representative District 58B Ian English DFL Y D Does not support constitutional carry, supports red flags
State Representative District 58B Drew Roach R N ?
State Representative District 59A Fue Lee DFL N F
State Representative District 59B Kenneth Smoron R N ?
State Representative District 59B Esther Agbaje DFL N F
State Representative District 60A Sydney Jordan DFL N F
State Representative District 60A Mary Holmberg R Y A (P) ENDORSED
State Representative District 60B Abigail Wolters R N ?
State Representative District 60B Mohamud Noor DFL N F
State Representative District 61A Katie Jones DFL N F
State Representative District 61B Jamie Long DFL N F
State Representative District 61B Bob “Again” Carney Jr R N ?
State Representative District 62A Alexandra (ZaZa) Hoffman Novick R N ?
State Representative District 62A Aisha Gomez DFL N F
State Representative District 62B Anquam Mahamoud DFL N ?
State Representative District 62B Bob Sullentrop R N ?
State Representative District 63A Samantha Sencer-Mura DFL N F
State Representative District 63B Diane Napper R N ?
State Representative District 63B Emma Greenman DFL N F
State Representative District 64A Dan Walsh R N ?
State Representative District 64A Kaohly Vang Her DFL N F
State Representative District 64B Dave Pinto DFL N F
State Representative District 64B Peter Donahue R Y C Opposes constututional carry and stand your ground
State Representative District 65A Samakab Hussein DFL N F
State Representative District 65B María Isa Pérez-Vega DFL N F
State Representative District 65B Mike Hilborn R N ?
State Representative District 66A Leigh Finke DFL N F
State Representative District 66A Fadil Jama R N ?
State Representative District 66B Athena Hollins DFL N F
State Representative District 66B Greg Copeland R Y A (P) ENDORSED
State Representative District 67A Scott Hesselgrave R N ?
State Representative District 67A Liz Lee DFL N F
State Representative District 67B Sharon Anderson R N ?
State Representative District 67B Jay Xiong DFL N F

Grading & Endorsement Notes

Candidates who do not submit a survey are marked as such and graded on existing records and/or other public statements that they have made.

A (P) next to a grade indicates a provisional grade where the grade was based almost entirely on a candidate’s survey due to their lack of public record / voting record on gun rights issues.

A “?” indicates that we did not receive a completed survey from the candidate.

Any candidate that accepts a donation or endorsement from an anti-gun organization will receive an automatic “F”.

Endorsed candidates can download our 2024 endorsement graphics at this link.

I have a question or a comment about grades, endorsements, or a specific candidate

Please contact us at contact@gunowners.mn