Contacts for media:
Christine Gillette, 978-934-2209 or
Christine_Gillette@uml.edu
Nancy Cicco, 978-934-4944 or
Nancy_Cicco@uml.edu
Detailed poll results and analysis are available at
www.uml.edu/polls.
UMass Lowell representatives are available for interviews about today’s poll.
TV assignment desks – UMass Lowell offers live interviews via ReadyCam by VideoLink.
LOWELL, Mass. – A majority of Americans – more than three-quarters in some cases – support major policy changes when it comes to gun control, including expanding background checks and banning assault weapons, according to a new national poll from the UMass Lowell Center for Public Opinion.
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The survey of 1,000 American adults found that 78 percent favor more thorough background checks for those buying guns, including in-depth psychological evaluations, and 80 percent support closing what is known as the “gun show loophole,” which allows individuals to purchase guns without the same background checks used in other types of sales, said Associate Prof. Joshua Dyck, co-director of the UMass Lowell Center for Public Opinion.
While large percentages of those who said they support more thorough background checks identified themselves as Democrats and independents, 70 percent of Republicans surveyed also said they support such a move. Tea party members were nearly split on expanding background checks, with only a slim majority opposed (51 percent) compared to 49 percent in favor. Similar bipartisan support was found for closing the “gun show loophole” and a greater number of tea party members (65 percent) said they are in favor of the reform.
In addition, 60 percent of those polled said they support banning the sale of assault weapons. Those who identify as strongly Democratic (70 percent) stated the strongest support for the measure, while only 18 percent of tea party members were in favor and 45 percent were strongly opposed. About a third of all Republicans (32 percent strongly identifying as Republican and 36 percent of others) said they favor a ban.
“The most striking finding in this survey is that the public appears to be far more supportive of reforming our gun laws than Congress appears willing or able to respond. In particular, large super-majorities favor making background checks tougher and expanding them to include gun shows; the latter reform is even supported by 65 percent of self-identified members of the tea party movement, while 49 percent of tea party members would support making background checks tougher,” said Dyck, who analyzed the poll results. “The policy window on reforming gun laws may have closed in the wake of a series of gun-violence tragedies in the last few years, but the support for change still strongly exists among the public. More than anything this suggests to me that the National Rifle Association remains one of the most powerful and influential interest groups in the United States.”
Poll: Majority of Americans Favor Gun Control | UMass Lowell
As the generation of 'School Shootings" matures, we are going to see gun control measures enacted. If the NRA and the wing nuts here push back too hard, we will see laws that even affect the guns that I have. There is zero reason for private citizens to own weapons of war. And those are the weapons that the crazies prefer using. We have seen that again and again.