New Poll Found 94 Percent of Voters in Battlegrounds Support Background Checks on All Gun Sales; 80 Percent in Battlegrounds Support Enacting Red Flag Law; 75 Percent Ready to Hold “Politicians Accountable by Voting them out of Office”
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NEW YORK — Today, Everytown for Gun Safety unveiled a new national survey of 2020 voters nationwide — with oversampling of voters in Colorado, Florida, Kentucky, North Carolina and Ohio — which found that voters overwhelmingly want action on gun safety, and are ready to vote out politicians who do nothing to curb gun violence. The poll also showed that voters won’t be fooled by ineffective half-measures that don’t make a real difference.
“As Senators come back to Washington, they need to know what the public wants on gun safety — and this poll makes it clear they want action,” said John Feinblatt, president of Everytown for Gun Safety. “Voters across the country — and across political parties — are demanding stronger gun laws, and they won’t settle for ineffective half measures.”
The poll, conducted by Global Strategy Group, consisted of 1,200 likely 2020 voters nationwide, with additional oversampling of likely 2020 voters from each of five battleground states: Colorado, Florida, Kentucky, North Carolina and Ohio.
Results from the poll, which was conducted before the mass shooting in West Texas, found overwhelming support — both nationally and in key battleground states — for background checks on all gun sales and a strong Red Flag law:
- Nationwide, 95 percent of voters support background checks on all gun sales — including 93 percent of Republican voters, 95 percent of independent voters and 92 percent of gun owners. Across the five battleground states, 94 percent support background checks on all gun sales.
- 85 percent of voters nationwide support Red Flag laws, including 77 percent of Republicans, 84 percent of independents and 78 percent of gun owners. Across the five battleground states, 80 percent support Red Flag laws.
- Voters are clear that anything less than a strong version of Red Flag legislation is unacceptable. By a 38-point margin — 69 percent to 31 percent — voters believe that we need to pass a federal Red Flag law that helps enforce already strong state laws, not a weak one that penalizes the 17 states that have already taken action.
The poll also found that nationally and across battleground states, voters are ready to hold politicians accountable if they continue to do nothing to curb gun violence.
- Three-quarters of voters in battleground states (75 percent) and nationwide (77 percent) agreed with the following statement: “Last year, more Americans died from gun violence than from military combat overseas. And as mass shootings become more and more common, American families and communities worry they could be next. Yet the politicians in Washington DC have done nothing to curb gun violence out of fear of losing money from special interest donors. Enough is enough. We must hold these corrupt politicians accountable by voting them out of office.”
- Support nationwide included 77 percent of independents, 57 percent of Republicans, and 62 percent of gun owners.