Gun safety group plans to spend $1M to flip Minnesota Senate

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — A major gun control group with ties to former New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg said Tuesday it plans to spend at least $1 million to try to flip the Minnesota Senate to Democratic control and keep the Minnesota House in the hands of lawmakers who back its positions.

The Everytown for Gun Safety Victory Fund has targeted the state Senate because Republicans hold just a three-vote majority there. But GOP senators have blocked legislation supported by the Democratic-controlled House and Democratic Gov. Tim Walz for universal background checks on gun sales and a “red flag law” that would allow courts to temporarily confiscate guns from people judged to be an imminent threat to themselves or others.

The fund and an affiliated group, Moms Demand Action, are focusing on 12 Senate districts now held by Republicans, mostly in the Twin Cities suburbs, Rochester and St. Cloud