In a Fox News telephone poll conducted March 18-21, 2018, voters found the rights of gun owners secondary to protecting citizens from gun violence.
By a 13 point margin, 53 percent to 40 percent, respondents consider safety through stricter gun control measures more important than gun enthusiasts' fight to maintain existing laws unchanged.
Fox News poll by Anderson Robbins Research (D) and Shaw & Company Research (R), March 18-21, 2018
However, voters also feel Congress and President Donald Trump will fail to take any action. 54 percent stated they disapprove of the presidents actions on guns while only 40 percent approve.
Congress fared even worse in the poll of voters. 38 percent consider it “extremely” important for Congress to pass gun legislation, but only 7 percent think it is “extremely” likely to happen.
Fox News poll by Anderson Robbins Research (D) and Shaw & Company Research (R), March 18-21, 2018
Voters supported almost all of the gun control measures presented for consideration as part of the poll, some by a very large percentage.
Poll participants were given six potential gun reform options to approve or disapprove:
- Requiring criminal background checks on all gun buyers, including those buying at gun shows and private sales
- Requiring mental health checks on all gun buyers
- Raising the minimum legal age to buy all guns to 21
- Putting armed guards in schools for protection
- Banning assault rifles and semi-automatic weapons
- Allowing teachers and school officials to carry guns on school grounds
91 percent support universal background checks. 84 percent are in favor of mental health checks or restrictions. President Obama had created such a measure through an executive order, but President Trump rescinded it.
72 percent approved raising the minimum buying age nationally to 21 while only 60 percent want to ban assault rifles and semi-automatic weapons.
Fox News poll by Anderson Robbins Research (D) and Shaw & Company Research (R), March 18-21, 2018
On the matter of school safety, 69 percent thought placement of specifically trained and assigned armed guards was a good idea.
However, the only proposal poll participants didn't support was President Trump's suggestion of arming teachers or other school officials. Only 37 percent supported Trump's suggested solution to school shootings while 57 percent opposed it.
On the question of the effectiveness of stricter gun control laws, 42 percent don't feel they will make a difference, 44 percent think they would make the country safer, and 12 percent think stricter laws make the country less safe. Since 2016, the shift in attitudes on gun laws moved from opposing opinions, safer versus less safe, to ambivalence.
52 percent thought stricter laws made the USA safer in 2016 while 24 percent felt they make the USA less safe. The no difference category went from just 20 percent to 42 percent.
Fox News poll by Anderson Robbins Research (D) and Shaw & Company Research (R), March 18-21, 2018
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