What began as a low-key squabble over gun control among state legislators in Virginia has grown into a political war, with Republican lawmakers threatening to de-fund Gov. Terry McAuliffe's armed bodyguards.

The fight began Dec. 22, when state Attorney General Mark Herring announced that starting on Feb. 1, Virginia would stop recognizing concealed weapons permits from other states - a move that would affect residents in 25 different states that have reciprocity agreements with the commonwealth of Virginia.

Furious Republicans are threatening to retaliate with an amendment to the state budget as early as January to strip McAuliffe of his state-funded armed bodyguards.

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Gov. Terry McAuliffe has been searching for ways to tighten state control over concealed weapons - an effort that could end up costing him his own state-funded armed bodyguards at the hands of Republican lawmakers

The squabble over guns in the commonwealth reached a new level this month, when state Attorney General Mark Herring announced that Virginia would no longer honor reciprocity agreements with 25 different states for concealed weapons holders starting Feb. 1

McAuliffe's administration has already moved to tighten gun laws, such as by banning concealed weapons in state offices in October, but Herring's announcement last week represented a new line of attack.

It is seen as an extension of President Barack Obama's vow earlier this month to act through executive action to tighten gun control efforts after a spate of mass shootings throughout his presidency, including the Dec. 2 murders in San Bernardino, Calif.

The decision means that Virginia citizens with a criminal record of stalking, drug dealing or mental health issues cannot obtain a concealed gun permit in another state with looser laws and legally carry a weapon in the commonwealth.

The Washington Post estimated the decision would affect 6.3 million U.S. citizens who are currently able to carry concealed weapons into Virginia, as well as an additional 420,000 Virginians who would no longer have their rights recognized when they travel to other states.

'To me, this is a common sense step that can help make Virginians and our law enforcement officers safer by ensuring that Virginia’s laws on who can and cannot carry a concealed handgun are applied evenly, consistently, and fairly,' Herring said in a statement provided to The Washington Post.

But Herring’s announcement falls just weeks before the start of the annual General Assembly session in Virginia - a process controlled by Republicans.

And state Sen. Bill Carrico is among those Republicans who say they will take the fight to McAuliffe personally during the session.

'A lot of the governor’s power is deferred to the General Assembly at that point and I’ll be getting with my colleagues to circumvent everything this governor has done on this point,' Carrico told the Bristol Herald Courier.

'I have a budget amendment that I’m looking at to take away his executive protection unit. If he’s so afraid of guns, then I’m not going to surround him with armed state policemen.'

Virginia state Sen. Bill Carrico wants to strip state funding for Gov. Terry McAuliffe's armed bodyguards

Carrico went on to describe Herring's action as 'absolutely absurd.'

'This is all political and I hope people see that,' he said.

There are other potential challenges to Herring's decision, starting with the possibility of lawsuits from other states over Virginia's pulling out of the signed reciprocity agreements.

Laws could also be passed in Virginia to enshrine the reciprocity agreements into statute, although those would have to be able to overcome a McAuliffe veto.

On the federal level, Kentucky Sen. Rand Paul, who is running for the 2016 Republican presidential nomination, has introduced a bill aimed at circumventing any executive orders on guns issued by Obama.

The legislation, which could be taken up in January, would make executive actions 'advisory' until they are approved by Congress. And it would allow any U.S. citizen - including state officials or members of Congress - who are affected by an executive order to file a civil lawsuit against it.

That measure faces long odds in the Senate, where Democrats would likely have an easy time marshaling 41 votes to block it.