Gov. candidates talk gun rights at Game Fair debate
The three candidates for governor met for the second debate since the primary Saturday at Game Fair in Anoka.
Democrat Mark Dayton, Republican Tom Emmer and Independence Party candidate Tom Horner agreed on their support of gun rights. All three said that there are problems with the state Department of Natural Resources that need to be fixed.
Horner also called for a clear land rights policy for Indian tribes that say treaties grant them expanded access to some areas.
"Why isn't the governor sitting down with the tribes on a regular basis to see how we can be working together," Horner said. "There's the opportunity. It's not drawing a line and saying I'm going to fight you over this and I'm going to fight you on that. It's how we can work together. That's the leadership the governor needs to provide."
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Dayton and Emmer say the governor must ensure that everyone has the same rights to hunt and fish in all areas. When debate moderators allowed the candidates to question each other, Emmer took the opportunity to attack Dayton.
"Sen. Dayton, if you could just explain to me and everyone else here in Minnesota how you can get an 'F' from the NRA and you can sit up here and tell us that you're going to defend sportsmans' rights," Emmer said.
Dayton said that when the police chiefs and the police officers of this state and the nation come and say those bullets are made to kill us, then he'll vote to ban them.
"Does that prevent a law-abiding hunter or fisher -- hunter in this state from going out and hunting and fishing? Absolutely not," Dayton said.
Dayton declined to ask a question of another candidate.