Research: Women Across Political Spectrum Support Stronger Laws to Prevent Gun Violence

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Research conducted over the last year in key states on voter attitudes about gun ownership and violence conducted on behalf of Americans for Responsible Solutions, the gun violence prevention organization founded by former Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords and her husband, retired combat veteran and NASA astronaut Captain Mark Kelly, finds that women across the political spectrum support stronger gun violence prevention laws. The research also found that key voting groups like independent and unmarried women are less likely to support candidates who oppose background checks.

The findings from statewide surveys and focus groups of registered and likely voters in Arizona, New Hampshire, North Dakota, Nevada, Alaska, Virginia and Texas show that 83 percent of Republican women support closing current loopholes by requiring background checks on all gun sales. In every state surveyed, the research also showed that women were more likely than men to support stronger laws to prevent gun violence. While Democratic men and women supported stronger laws at similar rates, independent women and Republican women support gun violence prevention policies at higher rates than men with respective political affiliations. In Alaska, for example, there is a 25-point gap between Republican men and women on support for background checks.

There is also broad support for laws that protect women from gun violence by keeping guns out of domestic abusers’ hands. Democratic, Republican and independent women support these policies at nearly identical rates, while support among Republican and independent men declines by 20 points.

The research also found that women – particularly unmarried women, independent women, moms, and Hispanic women – are important electoral targets for messaging on gun violence prevention. Women in these key voting subgroups are less likely to support candidates who oppose background checks, the research showed, and more likely to support candidates or stronger gun violence prevention laws after hearing about both sides of the debate over gun laws.

A memo on the research conducted by Greenberg Quinlan Rosner Research on behalf of Americans for Responsible Solutions can be found here.

“This research is yet another confirmation that not only do huge majorities of voters across the political spectrum support commonsense policies that reduce gun violence, there is huge upside among key women voters for candidates who talk about reducing gun violence. The lesson is clear: not only can candidates effectively talk about responsible gun ownership and win, they should,” said Pia Carusone, ARS Senior Advisor.