Gun Control & RKBA

In U.S., Support for Assault Weapons Ban at Record Low


by Art Swift

STORY HIGHLIGHTS
36% favor a ban on assault rifles, down from 44% four years ago
Half of Democrats and a quarter of Republicans favor this ban
A majority of those in households without guns oppose such a ban



Assault rifles have been a contentious issue in American life for decades. Two years after President Bill Clinton signed a federal assault weapons ban in 1994, Gallup found that a solid majority of Americans favored such a ban. By the time the 10-year ban expired in 2004, Americans were evenly divided. And by 2011, public opinion had tilted against the assault weapons ban, with 53% opposed and 43% in favor. In Gallup's 2016 Crime poll, conducted Oct. 5-9, opposition now exceeds support by 25 percentage points, 61% to 36%.

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Support for Ban Wanes Among Democrats, Republicans

In the past 20 years, support for an assault weapons ban has fallen among all partisan groups, but more so among Republicans than Democrats. Currently, 50% of Democrats and 25% of Republicans favor a ban; in 1996, 63% of Democrats and 50% of Republicans did so. The partisan gap in support has doubled, from 13 points in 1996 to 25 points today.


http://www.gallup.com/poll/196658/support-assault-weapons-ban-record-low.aspx