New Pre-Election Polling in Texas Finds that Gun Safety is a Winning Issue in Key Races Across TX, Where Everytown Spent Nearly $7.3 Million

New Poll Found Candidates’ Positions on Gun Policy are Important to an Overwhelming Majority of Voters, as Well as to Suburban Women, and That Gun Safety Messaging Deployed by Everytown Has Been Highly Impactful

Everytown for Gun Safety Victory Fund and Action Fund Invested Nearly $7.3 Million in Texas This Cycle, Targeting U.S. House Races, and Races to Determine Control of the Texas House

Moms Demand Action and Students Demand Action Volunteers Have Made Nearly 252,000 Calls And Texts to Support Gun Sense Candidates in Texas

AUSTIN, Texas — Today, Everytown for Gun Safety Action Fund and Victory Fund (“Everytown”) unveiled new polling of Texas voters, which found, just days before Election Day, that voters in Texas overwhelmingly support candidates who support stronger gun safety laws over a candidate who opposes stronger gun laws. The survey also found that gun safety-themed messaging, deployed by Everytown in its paid advertising campaigns in Texas, has been highly effective at impacting Texas voters.

Everytown for Gun Safety Victory Fund and Action Fund have invested nearly $7.3 million in Texas this cycle in order to elect gun sense champions up and down the ballot, including Rep. Lizzie Pannil Fletcher in TX-07, Sri Preston Kulkarni in TX-22, Gina Ortiz Jones in TX-23, Candace Valenzuela in TX-24, and candidates in key Texas House races which could decide control of the chamber.

“Gun safety is an issue that touches voters on a personal level, and it can cut through the Trump-created chaos and shape their choices at the ballot box,” said John Feinblatt, president of Everytown for Gun Safety. “This newest polling gives us a hint of what’s already happening at the polls: Texas voters turning out in force to reject lawmakers who have blocked progress for so long.”

“Once again the data shows that gun safety is a triple threat – it mobilizes, persuades, and has become a litmus test issue for voters across battleground states,” said Charlie Kelly, senior political advisor for Everytown for Gun Safety. “Our messaging this cycle is effective because people are tired of inaction on gun violence and politicians in the pocket of the gun lobby.”

“Texas voters have had enough of lawmakers who prioritize the gun lobby and other special interests over our families,” said Molly Bursey, volunteer with the Texas chapter of Moms Demand Action. “Gun safety is a winning issue in Texas, and we’ll see that in stark terms come Election Day.” 

The poll, conducted by Schoen Cooperman Research, surveyed 475 Texas voters. Findings include: 

• Messaging deployed by Everytown is persuasive and effectively improves the horserace for Democrats in races up and down the ballot
• Candidates’ position on gun policy is important in deciding who to vote for (87% of likely voters, and 84% of suburban women)
• Texas voters believe the need for background checks on all gun sales is more important now than it was a year ago (61% of likely voters, and 64% of suburban women)
• A majority of Texas voters (55% of likely voters, and 64% of suburban women) say that an endorsement by the NRA makes no difference to their vote or makes them less likely to vote for a candidate who is endorsed by the NRA.

Everytown for Gun Safety Victory Fund and Action Fund spent nearly $7.3 million in Texas during this election cycle, including:
U.S. House:

• Nearly $3 million, in conjunction with House Majority PAC, to elect Rep. Lizzie Pannill Fletcher in TX-07, Sri Preston Kulkarni in TX-22, Gina Ortiz Jones in TX-23, and Candace Valenzuela in TX-24.
• In TX-07 and TX-23, Everytown’s digital ads were viewed nearly 18 million times.
• In TX-22 and TX-24, Everytown’s broadcast and cable television ads totaled 2,650 GRPs in the Houston and Dallas media markets, respectively.

State Legislature:

• Nearly $4.3 million to elect gun sense majorities to the Texas House. As part of this effort, Everytown targeted 12 state House districts (HD-26, HD-64, HD-66, HD-67, HD-92, HD-94, HD-96, HD-108, HD-112, HD-121, HD-134, and HD-138) with candidate-specific digital and direct mail campaigns, and launched TV ads in HD-66, HD-108, HD-112, and HD-134. 
• Everytown’s TV ads to support gun sense candidates for the state legislature totaled 1,630 GRPs in the Dallas media market and 1,000 GRPs in the Houston media market. By Election Day, Everytown’s digital ads to support gun sense candidates for the state legislature will have been viewed nearly 90 million times, and its direct mail will have reached 216,000 households.

Moms Demand Action and Students Demand Action volunteers have also made nearly 252,000 calls and texts to Texas voters to support gun sense candidates across the state.