New PPP Poll Shows Patrick Murphy, Marco Rubio Tied as Gun Violence Prevention Becomes Key Issue in Florida Senate Race
October 28, 2016 – As the battle for the White House is increasingly focused on Florida, Americans for Responsible Solutions PAC (ARS PAC), the gun violence prevention organization founded by former Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords and her husband, the Navy combat veteran and retired NASA astronaut Captain Mark Kelly, released new research today demonstrating that a plurality of 47 percent of voters consider gun violence prevention measures like support for background checks for all gun sales to be a deciding issue in casting their vote.
The release of the poll coincides with the return of ARS PAC’s Vocal Majority bus tour to Florida today as Congresswoman Giffords and Captain Kelly rally with vice presidential nominee Senator Tim Kaine. The Vocal Majority Tour launched in Orlando on September 27th.
Among undecided voters in the hotly contested Florida Senate race, a plurality of 41 percent said that they would be less likely to vote for a candidate who opposes background checks, even if they agreed with the candidate on most other issues. Furthermore, among likely voters, a clear majority (58 percent) are more likely to vote for a candidate who supports strengthening gun laws. Senator Marco Rubio, who has consistently voted against gun violence prevention measures, is now tied with challenger and ARS PAC-endorsed candidate Congressman Patrick Murphy, 46/46. Sen. Rubio trails Murphy among voters who support background checks by nine points (42/51).
The ARS-commissioned Public Policy Polling (PPP) poll, showed that Florida voters are overwhelmingly in favor of gun safety proposals introduced in Congress this year, such as prohibiting individuals on the FBI Terror Watch List from buying guns (89 percent) and requiring background checks on all gun sales, including those sold online or at gun shows (85 percent).
“This new research is further proof that standing with the gun lobby and opposing responsible change to our gun laws is a political liability. With the Senate race in a dead heat, it is more important than ever that we ignite the Vocal Majority of Florida voters who support responsible gun safety measures to turn out and elect champions like Patrick Murphy and Hillary Clinton,” said Zach Stewart, Political Director, Americans for Responsible Solutions PAC. “This Senate race offers a clear choice between one candidate, Patrick Murphy, who is committed to making our communities safer and another, and Sen. Marco Rubio, who has repeatedly refused to support reasonable gun safety legislation. In a state that experienced the deadliest mass shooting in U.S. history, voters are ready to elect leaders who will stand up to the gun lobby.”
While Sen. Rubio has failed to push any commonsense gun measures in Congress, he still benefits from voters thinking he has a stronger gun safety record than his actual policy positions indicate with a majority of voters either unsure of his stance or of the belief that Rubio supports background checks on gun sales (63 percent) and supports prohibiting individuals on the FBI Terror Watch List (74 percent).
Across the state, the survey results indicate that gun violence prevention is a priority issue for voters of all backgrounds and partisan leanings, including gun owners, women, men, Democrats, Republicans, independents, Hispanics, voters of all age groups, and undecided voters, who overwhelmingly (at least 82 percent) agree that taking action to make it harder for criminals to get guns is an important issue.
The Vocal Majority Tour is part of ARS PAC’s “Vocal Majority” campaign this fall to mobilize millions of Americans to make the 2016 election a referendum on gun violence prevention and to support leaders up and down the ballot who are committed to taking responsible steps that reduce gun violence.