After the evil shooting at Robb Elementary School in Uvalde, Texas, that left 19 students and 2 adults dead, many liberal activists have called for stricter gun control legislation. A poll published this week claims that the number of Republicans who support stricter gun laws has seen a double-digit increase.
A USA Today/Ipsos poll published Tuesday found a double-digit increase in Republicans who now support stricter gun laws. According to USA Today’s poll write-up, the increase in support from Republicans has gone from 35 percent to 50 percent.
In the survey, Americans by nearly 7-1 back more restrictions on guns, 69%-10%, a level of support that has been roughly steady in Ipsos' surveys over the past five years. But the backing of Republicans, which reached as high as 59% in 2018, had dropped to a low of 35% in March 2021.
That support has now rebounded to 50%. What's more, Republicans are more likely to blame "loose gun laws" for mass shootings in the United States: 43% in the new poll, compared with 27% a year ago. The percentage of independents who hold inadequate restrictions on guns responsible also increased, to 64% from 55%.
Eighty-six percent of Democrats blame loose gun laws, topping a list of nine potential factors.
USA Today noted that the survey was conducted “over the worst weekend for mass shootings in the United States this year.” The survey included 1,117 adults and has a margin of sampling error of plus or minus 3.6 percentage points.
Ipsos President Cliff Young said in the findings that Republicans and Democrats have “deep divisions” on the “societal factors at the root of mass shootings and how we move toward solutions.”
Among both Republicans and Democrats, about eight in 10 say the mental health system bears at least some responsibility for mass shootings. Just over half of both Republicans and Democrats blame violent video games.
But asked about other factors, the two parties divide: 77% of Democrats blame gun manufacturers and the National Rifle Association, more than double the 28% of Republicans who feel that way. Eight in 10 Democrats blame racism and white nationalism, almost double the percentage of Republicans who agree. Three-fourths of Democrats blame congressional Republicans; just over half of Republicans blame congressional Democrats.
In the results, two-thirds of Democrats said that former President Donald Trump bears “some” responsibility. Seventeen percent of Republicans feel the same. As for President Joe Biden, 42 percent of Americans said he bears some of the blame.
