Nevadans Continue to View Governor Favorably – But His Favorability Rating Plunges When Voters Are Informed He Has Refused to Implement the Background Check Law
LAS VEGAS – Everytown for Gun Safety Action Fund and the Nevada chapter of Moms Demand Action for Gun Sense in America, part of Everytown for Gun Safety, today released a new poll conducted by Global Strategy Group on behalf of Everytown for Gun Safety Action Fund that finds Nevada voters’ favorable opinion of Governor Brian Sandoval plummets when they are informed of his refusal to implement the background check law voters passed last year. The poll results (available here) show:
- 64 percent of Nevada voters have a favorable opinion of the current governor.
- 81 percent believe he is reasonable and 65 percent believe he follows the law even if he disagrees with it.
- However, 52 percent say they feel “less favorable” toward Gov. Sandoval when informed he has not implemented the background check law – more than twice the percentage who say they feel “more favorable.”
A memo laying out top findings is available here.
STATEMENT FROM ELIZABETH BECKER, VOLUNTEER WITH THE NEVADA CHAPTER OF MOMS DEMAND ACTION FOR GUN SENSE IN AMERICA:
“More than a year after we voted to close the background check loophole, Nevadans are still waiting for this law to be implemented. We continue to believe this is a crucial public safety issue, and we continue to expect the Governor to take action to enforce the law we passed.”
Federal law requires licensed gun dealers to conduct criminal background checks, but a loophole exists that allows unlicensed sales, including sales online and at gun shows, to take place without background checks. Nevada’s background check initiative, which voters approved last November with a majority of votes, calls for the state to close that loophole and require background checks on all gun sales in Nevada, with reasonable exceptions for family, hunting and self-defense. Eighteen other states have passed similar laws and see fewer gun deaths among law enforcement and victims of domestic violence, as well as fewer suicides by firearm, than states that have not closed the loophole.