Mississippi governor challenges Newsom to debate on guns

Mississippi Gov. Tate Reeves (R) invited California Gov. Gavin Newsom (D) to debate a constitutional amendment on gun control proposed by the Golden State governor.

“Gov. Newsom, I am willing to debate you on this in Mississippi any time,” Reeves said in a tweet. “So on your next trip to our state to campaign for my opponent, give me a call.”

Newsom’s office announced Thursday that he is calling to implement four gun control measures in the Constitution — raising the minimum age to purchase firearms from 18 to 21, requiring universal background checks, instituting a “reasonable” waiting period for gun purchases and preventing civilians from buying “assault weapons.” He said these measures are widely supported by the public, adding that the proposals will “enshrine” common sense gun safety measures.

“The 28th Amendment will enshrine in the Constitution common sense gun safety measures that Democrats, Republicans, Independents, and gun owners overwhelmingly support — while leaving the 2nd Amendment unchanged and respecting America’s gun-owning tradition,” Newsom said in a statement Thursday.

Newsom has also spent time campaigning for Reeves’ Democratic opponent as the Mississippi governor is up for reelection, Fox News reported. Democratic candidate Brandon Presley is challenging the Republican governor for 2024 as the Democratic Party eyes the state for a potential upset next fall.

In contrast to Newsom, Reeves is a strong proponent of gun rights and has signed legislation expanding gun rights measures as governor of Mississippi. He signed a bill last April that blocked the creation of gun registries from the government or payment processors, saying that the state needs to “guard against any action that threatens our liberties.”

“Across the country, national Democrats’ are pushing unconstitutional gun grabs that threaten the safety and privacy of law-abiding gun owners,” he said at the time.

“Unlike California and New York, we’re proud to welcome the firearms industry and gun owners from across the country to enjoy the protections that our state has to offer,” he added.