Gabby Giffords, Mark Kelly to Kick Off "Rights and Responsibilities" Tour

June 25, 2013

Tour will stretch from Nevada to Alaska to Maine, as New Data Shows Broad Support for Expanded Background Checks Remains Strong

WASHINGTON – Multiple new polls commissioned by Americans for Responsible Solutions (ARS), the gun violence prevention group founded by former Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords and her husband, astronaut Mark Kelly, show that support for expanded background checks remains strong in states throughout the country.

Giffords and Kelly announced that they will be traveling across the country from July 1-7, leading the Rights and Responsibilities Tour to rally supporters and remind elected officials that our cherished Second Amendment rights demand great responsibility.

“I’ve been around guns my whole life, and I know that as an American, my right to own a firearm goes hand in hand with my obligation to be a responsible gun owner and to do my part to make sure guns don’t fall into the hands of criminals or dangerously mentally ill people,” said ARS co-founder Mark Kelly. “Gabby and I are excited to hit the road this summer and meet so many of the great Americans who are standing with us to fight for common-sense solutions to prevent gun violence and protect our rights.”

Giffords and Kelly will kick off the tour in Nevada on July 1 before making stops in Alaska, Maine, New Hampshire, North Carolina, North Dakota and Ohio. Public events will be announced shortly.

HIGHLIGHTS OF AMERICANS FOR RESPONSIBLE SOLUTIONS’ NEW POLLING:

Expanded background checks continue to be popular with significant majorities, even in states with high percentages of gun owners. The data in each state shows that gun owners can support gun safety, and Americans without guns can support gun owners. Americans across the country retain their optimism and their determination, with a majority of those surveyed saying that they do believe it’s possible to protect our Second Amendment rights and strengthen our gun laws to make sure guns do not get into the hands of the wrong people. Likewise, a plurality of voters whose Senators voted against the background checks bill report being more likely to support them in the future if they vote for the bill.

In Nevada, where the tour begins, 84% of voters support expanded background checks, including 83% of gun owners and 69% of NRA households. By a margin of 2:1, Nevada voters –including gun owners – want Senator Heller to change his vote on background checks.
In Alaska, at least 64% of voters own a gun – and yet still, 72% of them support expanded background checks.
In New Hampshire, 84% of voters support expanded background checks – and 75% of them believe we can protect our Second Amendment rights and improve our gun laws to keep us safer. A majority of New Hampshire voters want Senator Ayotte to change her vote, including 56% of gun owners.
In North Dakota, where 53% of voters own a gun, 79% support expanding background checks – and 69% believe we can strengthen our gun laws to protect our communities and preserve our Second Amendment rights at the same time. A plurality of voters, including gun owners and independents, want Senator Heitkamp to change her vote.
And in Arizona, Gabby and Mark’s home state, 81% of voters support background checks, an instance of political unity in an otherwise polarized state. By a 31-point margin (61-30 percent), voters overwhelmingly believe that Senator Flake should switch his vote. The choice produced similar results in many key groups, including independents, women, and voters in suburban Phoenix.

See attached polling memo for full results.

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