By Claude Brodesser-Akner | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com

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Gov. Chris Christie's stance on firearms has morphed considerably over his career, starting out in favor of New Jersey's strict gun laws and ending up arguing for loosening them.

In March, the governor revised regulations that could increase the odds that local police might approve an application to carry a handgun. He's also consistently vetoed attempts by Democrats to expand or toughen existing gun laws, and has pardoned half a dozen out of state legal gun owners who got unwittingly ensnared in them.

But come January, the term-limited governor will depart -- and so will his policies, depending on who replaces him.

Here's where the Democrats and Republicans hoping to succeed him stand on guns.

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THE REPUBLICANS

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Kim Guadagno

A spokesman for the former Monmouth County wouldn't say if there were any gun laws which Guadagno would support repealing, but did say she doesn't believe the state needs any new ones, and certainly wants to reexamine existing gun transport laws.

"I believe because New Jersey has among the strictest gun laws in the country, we should enforce the ones we have on the books," said Guadagno in an email to NJ Advance Media.

However, the rash of arrests of legal gun owners who obliviously got caught up in New Jersey's gun transport laws does bear reexamination, she said.

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Jack Ciattarelli

Ciattarelli's approach to gun control is to restore uniformly unfettered access to the Second Amendment right to bear arms from the top down.

Rick Rosenberg, a spokesman for Ciattarelli's campaign says that he'd seek to pass a law that "disallows municipalities imposing restrictions that exceed state laws" and then also seek to "restore a reasonable set of regulations" on the transport of firearms.

The state Assemblyman from Somerset County sees firearm ownership as a great equalizer between the sexes, and wants to expand concealed carry for all law-abiding citizens, "especially for women who are victims of domestic violence," who would be "given priority permitting," according to Rosenberg.

He would also veto any legislation that restricts access to firearms, streamline the permitting process for those seeking "reciprocity" for bordering states to ensure legal gun owners on both sides of the Garden State's border don't needlessly face prosecution.

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Steve Rogers

The former Nutley police commander says he believe the Second Amendment "is not negotiable" and would fight to eliminate what he terms "ridiculous" regulations barring citizens from carrying firearms.

Rogers says he believes in the right of "every citizen to carry a concealed weapon" provided they receive training and have no violent criminal history involving firearms.

Like President Trump, Rogers favors of a "national reciprocity" statute which would require New Jersey to honor out-of-state concealed carry permits.

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Joseph Rullo

Ocean County businessman Joe Rullo takes a no compromises approach to the right to bear arms.

He vows to appoint "only" pro-Second Amendment justices to the state Supreme Court, and an an Attorney General "who supports our right to carry concealed with no justifiable need."

He says he will also order the Attorney General to work with every local police department "to ensure that all permits are produced within 30 days as required by law."

And he says he'll veto any gun control legislation, which he insists "leaves the law-abiding sitting ducks."

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Hirsh Singh

A spokesman for Atlantic County engineer Hirsh Singh said he is "supportive of right to carry, and opposed to justifiable need."

"He believes New Jerseyans have the right to protect themselves and their families," said campaign spokesman Michael Byrne.

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THE DEMOCRATS

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Phil Murphy

When it comes to gun control and Christie, Phil Murphy's loaded for bear: His campaign website says he would sign "every piece of gun violence prevention legislation that Governor Christie has vetoed."

Such bills include banning gang members and domestic abusers from owning guns, mandating gun safety training as a prerequisite to firearms purchases, and promoting so-called biometric or "smart gun" technology by requiring all gun retailers to carry at least one smart gun once they are commercially available.

Murphy also would require "timely reporting of mental illness episodes to the national background check database" -- something Christie's opposed.

To cut down on illegal gun sales and transfers, Murphy wants to require individuals to register their firearms and make it a crime to sell one's gun without first conducting a background check on the buyer.

Finally, he favors an additional tax on firearms purchases to that would "fund law enforcement, drug treatment centers, and mental health services."

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Jim Johnson

As Underecretary of the U.S. Treasury for Enforcement, Jim Johnson oversaw the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms, and was one of the first federal officials on the ground after the Columbine school shooting.

The tragedy clearly affected him, as Johnson's spokesman says he would be "vetoing any sort of legislative attempt to create concealed carry reciprocity" and favors increased gun safety training for firearm purchasers.

Aleigha Cavalier, the Johnson campaign's spokesman, says he sees "gun violence...(as) a public health issue" and favors "sensible gun laws and policies" like universal background checks legislation, encouraging gun safety technology research and implementation."

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Raymond Lesniak

Lesniak has spent decades fighting for tougher gun control.

"As New Jersey Democratic State Chair, I did a mailing to Republican district voters which resulted in a defeat of the veto proof Republican majority's efforts to repeal Governor Florio's assault weapon ban," said Lesniak.

As an soldier in the U.S. Army, Lesniak says he qualified as a "sharpshooter," but said it still took him a full year to properly handle weapons.

The state senator from Union County favors increased scrutiny of those seeking to buy firearms.

"I do not believe guns should be accessible without background checks," said Lesniak, noting that more than 70 percent of gun crimes in New Jersey are committed with firearms purchased in other states.

As such, Lesniak says he would advocate for universal background checks nationwide and "will fight any Trump mandate for concealed carry in New Jersey."

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John Wisniewski

The lawmaker from Middlesex has long backed stronger gun legislation. He pushed bills requiring more stringent background checks, closing loopholes in gun permitting and keeping guns out of the hands of those charged with domestic violence.

A spokesman for Wisniewski's campaign, Greg Minchak, said he will continue this course as governor.

"He will push back against any Trump agenda that weakens existing gun laws or restricts the state's ability to make its own laws," said Minchak.

Trump has favored a nationwide reciprocity law that would have states honoring out of state gun permits.

Like Johnson, Wisniewski sees guns as a public health issue. His spokesman said he would "commission Rutgers and Seton Hall to conduct a state-funded study on gun-related deaths" and in the meantime encourage and facilitate the phase-in of smart gun technology with research and development funds.

He also favors expanding state-run gun buy-back programs to get illegal guns off the streets.

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Mark Zinna

The Tenafly borough council president has said he supports the Second Amendment, and even owns both rifles and shotguns for target practice with his daughters, but "I don't see any need for me or my friends to be carrying concealed handguns."

Concealed carry, Zinna said, "can only lead to violence, and problems, and that's not the society we want to build."

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Bill Brennan

Unlike most Democrats, the retired Teaneck firefighter does not want to tighten New Jersey's gun laws, and in some cases, wants to loosen them.

"We do not need more laws," said Brennan, who favors enforcement of existing statutes.

Although, in cases of domestic violence, the community activist believes in easier access.

"I propose that anytime someone violates a restraining order, the person under protection of that order ought be presumed in sufficient danger to obtain a concealed carry permit so long as they are mentally fit and lack a history of violence," he said.

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Claude Brodesser-Akner may be reached at cbrodesser@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @ClaudeBrodesser. Find NJ.com Politics on Facebook.