Poll: Majority want stricter gun laws

As reported by the Associated Press, a new poll from the University of Chicago Harris School of Public Policy and the Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research found that most adults in the U.S. want stricter gun laws. Respondents showed broad public support for a variety of gun restrictions, including many that are supported by majorities of Republicans and gun owners. The poll was conducted between July 28 and Aug. 1, after several deadly mass shootings and a 2020 spike in gun killings that have increased attention on the issue of gun violence. Overall, eight in 10 Americans perceive that gun violence is increasing around the country, and about two-thirds say it’s increasing in their state, though less than half believe it’s increasing in their community. The poll found that 71% of Americans say gun laws should be stricter, including about half of Republicans, the vast majority of Democrats, and a majority of those in gun-owning households.