Gubernatorial candidates Tim Walz and Jeff Johnson squared off Saturday for the third time in two days, this time to share their views on a range of environmental and recreational issues.
The informal debate was held during the Game Fair hunting convention on the grounds of the Armstrong Ranch Kennel in Ramsey. Dozens of people packed underneath a white tent to hear the two candidates speak.
One of the first questions asked about their stance on firearm regulations, with both Walz, the DFL pick, and Johnson, the Republican candidate, reaffirming their positions.
Walz, who grew up hunting, said basic regulations such as requiring universal background checks are reasonable changes that would help reduce gun violence. "There are compromises that can be made that protect your Second Amendment rights but still allow for improvements in safety," he said.
Johnson said he would not sign any gun restrictions into law, adding that they ignore the root cause of mass shootings. "Something has happened to some of the boys and young men in our society, and we ignore that issue when we try to go to the easy answer," he said.
When Johnson said Walz has touted an "F rating" he received from the National Rifle Association, Walz replied that "the NRA is not the arbitrator of everything we do here."
The discussion then moved into more specific topics, including copper mining, invasive species and acquisition of public lands.
Moderator Rob Drieslein asked whether the potential environmental hazards of a copper-nickel mining project proposed by Twin Metals near the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness outweigh the jobs it could bring to the region. Both candidates said that the project first needs to go through a stringent environmental review.
