Poll Watch: Washington Post-ABC News Survey on Gun Control

Washington Post-ABC News Poll on Gun Control

Would you support or oppose a law requiring a nationwide ban on semi-automatic handguns, which automatically re-load every time the trigger is pulled?

• Support 51%
• Oppose 46%

Note: 66% of Democrats, 47% of Independents, and 40% of Republicans support a ban on semi-automatic handguns; as do 40% of men and 60% of women. Sixty-four percent (64%) of non-gun owners, but only 36% of gun-owning households also back a ban on semi-automatics.
 
Would you support or oppose a law requiring a nationwide ban on high-capacity ammunition clips, meaning those containing more than 10 bullets?

• Support 65%
• Oppose 32% 

Note: 81% of Dems, 60% of Indies, and 59% in GOP support a ban on high-capacity clips; as do 57% of men and 72% of women. Seventy-five percent (75%) of non-gun owners and 55% of gun-owning households also back such a ban.

Would you support or oppose a law requiring a nationwide ban on the sale of assault weapons?

• Support 58%
• Oppose 39%

Note: 76% of Democrats, 54% of Independents, and 45% of Republicans support an assault weapons ban; as do 50% of men and 66% of women. Seventy-one percent (71%) of non-gun owners, but just 45% of gun-owning households also back a ban on the sale of assault weapons.

Would you support or oppose a law requiring background checks on people buying guns at gun shows?

• Support 88%
• Oppose 11%

Would you support or oppose a law requiring placing an armed guard in every school in the country?

• Support 55%
• Oppose 42%

Would you support or oppose a law requiring the creation of a new federal database to track all gun sales in this country?

• Support 71%
• Oppose 27%

Would you support or oppose a law requiring background checks on anyone buying gun ammunition?

• Support 76%
• Oppose 22%

Do you have a favorable or unfavorable impression of the leadership of the National Rifle Association?

• Favorable 36%
• Unfavorable 44%

Note: While 55% of Republicans have a favorable impression of the NRA, only 24% of Democrats and 35% of Independents view them favorably; as do 45% of men, but just 28% of women. Although 52% of gun-owning households have a favorable impression of the NRA, only 22% of non-gun owners share their positive views of the gun lobby group.

Do you think the National Rifle Association has too much influence, too little influence, or the right amount of influence over gun control laws in this country?

• Too much 38%
• Too little 24%
• Right amount 30%

Thinking about the elementary school shootings in Newtown, Connecticut last month – would you say this incident has made you more likely to support some forms of gun control, less likely to support some forms of gun control, or made no difference in your opinion on gun control?

• More likely 52%
• Less likely 5%
• No difference 42%

Do you or does anyone in your house own a gun, or not?

• Yes 44%
• No 56%

Note: 32% of Democrats, 44% of Independents, and 59% of Republicans live in gun-owning households.  While 52% of men are in gun-owning homes, only 37% of women live in armed households.
 
Survey of 1,001 adults was conducted January 10-13, 2013. The margin of error is +/- 3.5 percentage points. Party ID: 33% Democrat; 24% Republican; 37% Independent.

Poll Watch: PPP (D) Survey on the NRA and Guns

PPP (D) Poll on the NRA and Guns

Do you have a favorable or unfavorable opinion of the National Rifle Association?

• Favorable 42%
• Unfavorable 45%

Among Democrats

• Favorable 22%
• Unfavorable 67%

Among Republicans

• Favorable 66%
• Unfavorable 18%

Among Independents

• Favorable 50%
• Unfavorable 40%

Among Moderates

• Favorable 32%
• Unfavorable 59%

Among Men

• Favorable 46%
• Unfavorable 43%

Among Women

• Favorable 38%
• Unfavorable 48%

Have Gun in Household 

• Favorable 58%
• Unfavorable 31%

No Gun in Household 

• Favorable 28%
• Unfavorable 59%

Would you support or oppose Congress passing stricter gun laws?

• Support 53%
• Oppose 40%

Among Democrats

• Support 76%
• Oppose 20%

Among Republicans

• Support 25%
• Oppose 63%

Among Independents

• Support 45%
• Oppose 47%

Among Moderates

• Support 63%
• Oppose 30%

Among Men

• Support 45%
• Oppose 51%

Among Women

• Support 61%
• Oppose 28%

Have Gun in Household 

• Support 39%
• Oppose 54%

No Gun in Household 

• Support 66%
• Oppose 26%

Would you support or oppose putting armed police officers in every school in the country?

• Support 41%
• Oppose 50%

Would you support or oppose providing teachers with guns?

• Support 27%
• Oppose 64%

Survey of 1,100 registered voters was conducted January 3-6, 2013. The margin of error is +/- 3.0 percentage points. Party ID: 43% Democrat; 34% Republican; 23% Independent/Other.  Political ideology: 29% Moderate; 24% Somewhat conservative; 17% Somewhat liberal; 16% Very conservative; 13% Very liberal. 

Poll Watch: CNN/ORC Survey on Gun Rights

CNN/ORC Poll on Gun Rights 

Please tell me whether you would generally favor or oppose each of the following proposals which some people have made to reduce the amount of gun violence: 

A ban on the manufacture, sale and possession of semi-automatic assault guns, such as the AK-47 

• Favor 62%
• Oppose 37%

Among Men

• Favor 50%
• Oppose 49%

Among Women

• Favor 74%
• Oppose 25%

A ban on the sale and possession of equipment known as high-capacity or extended ammunition clips, which allow some guns to shoot more than 10 bullets before they need to be reloaded

• Favor 62%
• Oppose 37%

Among Men

• Favor 53%
• Oppose 46%

Among Women

• Favor 71%
• Oppose 29%

Limiting the number of guns an individual can own

• Favor 48%
  
• Oppose 52%

Among Men

• Favor 35%
• Oppose 65%

Among Women

• Favor 61%
• Oppose 39%

Have the shootings in Connecticut made you more likely to support stricter gun control laws, less likely to support stricter gun control laws, or has your opinion on gun control not changed as a result of the shootings in Connecticut? 

• More likely 43% 
• Less likely 7% 
• No change 50%

Among Men

• More likely 35% 
• Less likely 10% 
• No change 55%

Among Women

• More likely 50% 
• Less likely 4% 
• No change 45%

A background check on anyone attempting to purchase a gun in order to determine whether the prospective buyer has been convicted of a felony 

• Favor 95%
• Oppose 5%

Preventing certain people, such as convicted felons or people with mental health problems, from owning guns 

• Favor 92%
• Oppose 8%

Requiring gun owners to register their guns with the local government 

• Favor 78%
• Oppose 22%

Which of the following statements comes closest to your view: 

• There should be no restrictions on owning guns 13% 
• There should be some restrictions on owning guns 71% 
• All guns should be illegal for everyone except police and authorized personnel 15%

Survey of 620 adults was conducted December 17-18, 2012. The margin of error is +/- 4 percentage points. Party ID: 34% Democrat; 25% Republican; 41% Independent.

Poll Watch: Rasmussen (R) Survey on the School Shooting in Connecticut

Rasmussen (R) Poll on the Sandy Hook Shooting 

Does the United States need stricter gun control laws? 

• Yes 47%
• No 45%
  

Note: This is the highest level of support for more gun control ever measured by Rasmussen Reports. It’s two points higher than the support measured in April 2007 following the killings at Virginia Tech. Sixty-nine percent (69%) of Democrats think the United States needs stricter gun control laws. Sixty-four percent (64%) of Republicans disagree. Unaffiliated adults are fairly evenly divided.

Does the United States need to take more action to identify and treat mental health issues? 

• Yes 86%
• No 7%
  

Does the United States need to place limits on violent movies and video games? 

• Yes 49%
• No 37%
• Not sure 13%

Note: Most adults under 40 oppose limits on violent video games and movies. Most older adults are in favor of such limits. 
 
Can schools ever be made completely safe against violence like the incident in Connecticut? 

• Yes 20%
• No 64%
• Not sure 15%
  

Note: That’s slightly more optimism than Americans felt in February following school shootings in an Ohio high school. Just 12% thought it was possible to make schools completely safe from such violence at that time. Last summer, only nine percent (9%) thought it was possible to make public spaces that safe following the shootings in a Colorado movie theater.
 
What will do the most to reduce the number of mass murders like the school shootings in Connecticut—stricter gun control laws, more action to treat mental health issues, or limits on violent movies and video games? 

• More action to treat mental health issues 48%
• Stricter gun control laws 27%
• Limits on violent movies and video games 15%
• Undecided 10%

Note: While 57% of Republicans and 54% of adults not affiliated with either major party think more action to treat mental health issues will do the most to prevent incidents like the one in Connecticut, a plurality (45%) of Democrats sees stricter gun control laws as the most effective approach. 

National survey of 1,000 adults was conducted December 17-18, 2012. The margin of error is +/- 3 percentage points.

Inside the numbers: 

Women are stronger advocates than men of more mental health treatment, stricter gun control and limits on violent movies and video games. Fifty-four percent (54%) of women favor tougher gun control laws; 54% of men are opposed.

Sixty-four percent (64%) of Americans who own a gun oppose stricter gun control laws. Sixty-one percent (61%) of those who say they don’t own a gun favor such laws.

Eighty-five percent (85%) of Americans have been following news stories about the recent shootings at an elementary school in Connecticut at least somewhat closely. This includes 51% who have been following very closely.

Poll Watch: Washington Post-ABC News Survey on Gun Control

Washington Post-ABC News Poll on Gun Control
 
Do you favor or oppose stricter gun control laws in this country?

• Favor 54%
• Oppose 43%

Would you support or oppose a law requiring a nationwide ban on: 

High-capacity ammunition clips, meaning those containing more than 10 bullets

• Support 59%
• Oppose 38%

Semi-automatic handguns, which automatically re-load every time the trigger is pulled

• Support 52%
• Oppose 44%

The sale of handguns, except to law enforcement officers

• Support 27%
• Oppose 71%

What do you think is the best way to reduce gun violence in this country - by passing stricter gun control laws, or by stricter enforcement of existing laws? 

• Passing new laws 32%
• Enforcing existing laws 49%

Thinking about the shooting at a Connecticut elementary school: Do you think this shooting reflects broader problems in American Society, or are things like this just the isolated acts of troubled individuals? 

• Broader problems 52%
• Isolated acts 43%
  

Survey of 602 adults was conducted December 14-16, 2012. The margin of error is +/- 4.5 percentage points. 

Inside the numbers: 

Among groups, women are more apt to support stricter gun control than are men, by a 12-point margin, 59 vs. 47 percent; support for gun control is much higher in the Northeast and West than in the Midwest and South; and it’s far higher among nonwhites, 72 percent, than among whites, 48 percent.

Political and ideological differences, in particular, are stark: Stricter gun control overall is favored by 74 percent of Democrats but just 29 percent of Republicans; it’s 52 percent among independents, more than half for the first time since 2007. Support, similarly, is 72 percent among liberals and 58 percent among moderates, vs. 38 percent among conservatives.

As noted, however, these gaps narrow on the issue of banning high-capacity ammunition clips. Compared with their views on stricter gun control more generally, support for banning such clips jumps by 11 points among independents, by 16 points among Republicans and by 10 points among conservatives.

Intensity is on the side of supporters of stricter gun control in general – 44 percent of Americans are “strongly” in favor, vs. 32 percent strongly opposed, the widest intensity gap since spring 2007. And on banning high-capacity clips, strong supporters outnumber strong opponents by an 18-point margin, 47 percent vs. 29 percent.

At the same time, the highest intensity is in opposition to banning handguns overall – 56 percent “strongly” opposed, vs. 20 percent strong support.

People who see the Connecticut attack as a sign of broader societal problems are 11 points more apt to support stricter gun control than are those who see the crime as an isolated act, 59 vs. 48 percent. There are similar gaps in support for specific gun control measures; banning high-capacity clips, for instance, is favored by 65 percent of those who see a societal problem, vs. 52 percent of those who don’t.