Gov. Youngkin Vetoes Virginia Democrats’ ‘Assault Weapons’ Ban

Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin (R) vetoed Democrat lawmakers’ “assault weapons” ban on Tuesday, along with a number of other Democrat-backed gun controls.

On January 23, 2024, Breitbart News noted that Virginia Democrats were advancing an “assault weapons” ban.

On February 9, 2024, Breitbart News pointed out that the Virginia House Democrats “assault firearm” ban targeted semiautomatic centerfire pistols — like the 9mm or 45 ACP — if said pistols take a detachable magazine and have a threaded barrel.

Semiautomatic centerfire pistols are wildly popular among concealed carriers and target shooters. Some of the most popular semiautomatic centerfire pistols include the 9mm, 45 ACP, and 10mm, and a pistol chambered in any of those three rounds could have been banned in Virginia over a threaded barrel if Democrats got their way.

But Y0ungkin vetoed the “assault weapons” ban and Richmond Times-Dispatch quoted him saying in a statement, “The Constitution precludes the Commonwealth from prohibiting a broad category of firearms widely embraced for lawful purposes, such as self-defense. Despite this, certain members of the General Assembly have pursued legislation banning most contemporary semiautomatic firearms and specific ammunition-feeding devices.”

State Sen. Creigh Deeds (D) wrung his hands and posted commentary on X as Youngkin was vetoing the anti-Second Amendment legislation, writing, “News this afternoon that 2 more of my bills, prospectively banning assault style weapons, and keeping guns off college campuses are being vetoed. Shameful and unthinking action!”

AWR Hawkins is an award-winning Second Amendment columnist for Breitbart News and the writer/curator of Down Range with AWR Hawkins, a weekly newsletter focused on all things Second Amendment, also for Breitbart News. He is the political analyst for Armed American Radio and a pro-staffer for Pulsar Night Vision. He was a Visiting Fellow at the Russell Kirk Center for Cultural Renewal in 2010 and holds a Ph.D. in Military History, with a focus on the Vietnam War (brown water navy), U.S. Navy since Inception, the Civil War, and Early Modern Europe. Follow him on Instagram: @awr_hawkins. You can sign up to get Down Range at breitbart.com/downrange. Reach him directly at awrhawkins@breitbart.com.