DETROIT – Ahead of next week’s primary election, the five GOP candidates for Michigan governor weighed in on the topics that matter most to voters.
Local 4 has pressed them on the economy, abortion, and whether the presidential election was stolen. On Thursday, we’re asking them about another controversial issue, gun safety.
What is your position on the gun safety/storage bills brought by the state Democrats and blocked by the Republicans?
Kevin Rinke: Gun safety storage bills are funny because I think they make criminals out of law-abiding people. If people buy a gun to protect themselves and they have to lock it in a safe, and they are being invaded by an intruder, what are they supposed to do? Shout out, ‘hey, would you wait a minute while I go to my safe and get my gun out?’
Ryan Kelley: Good to be blocked by the Republicans because, you know, the thing at the end of the day is criminals don’t follow laws. You know, we talked about more gun restrictions, and that never addresses the issue, because the more things that you know that we make illegal and restrict illegal gun owners, the criminals don’t follow the laws, and that’s the thing where we ask the question, you know, ‘what laws can be passed that criminals will follow?’ And the answer is none.
Garrett Soldano: I am 100% Second Amendment, and I teach my kids how to safely defend themselves, but you need to make sure that your stuff is locked up, and you got to make sure that those guns are secure.
Ralph Rebandt: The gun safety issue is something we have to address, but I am not in favor of red flag gun laws or whatever they were trying to push. I believe we should have our guns up and away from children and anybody else, but I’m not in favor of any more restrictions. We already have too many.
Tudor Dixon: I guess I’m not familiar with those bills.
Rod Meloni followed up with Dixon: As I understand, it had to do with making sure that your weapon was properly secured.
Tudor Dixon: I’d have to read it.
On Friday, Local 4 will be asking the Republicans about their leadership styles and how they differ from what we’ve seen from Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer.
Read: Full interviews: Michigan GOP candidates for governor talk agenda
Read: Michigan Republican candidates for governor give final plea for votes in GOP debate
