May 31, 2018 - Support For Gun Control Dips In Texas, Quinnipiac University Poll Finds; Bare Majority For Arming Teachers PDF format Additional Trend Information Sample and Methodology detail With big gender, party and racial divisions, Texas voters are divided on "stricter gun laws in the United States," as 49 percent support stricter laws and 45 percent are opposed, according to a Quinnipiac University Poll released today. This is down from the 55 - 41 percent for stricter gun laws in an April 19 survey by the independent Quinnipiac (KWIN-uh-pe-ack) University. In today's results, support for stricter gun laws is 56 - 39 percent among women, with men opposed 51 - 42 percent. Support is 68 - 29 percent among black voters and 58 - 36 percent among Hispanic voters. White voters are opposed 53 - 43 percent. Republicans oppose stricter gun laws 70 - 25 percent. Support is 79 - 17 percent among Democrats and 53 - 42 percent among independent voters. There is no division among groups as Texas voters support 93 - 6 percent requiring background checks for all gun buyers. Gun owners support universal background checks 92 - 7 percent. There are gender, racial and party divisions as Texas voters support 51 - 45 percent allowing teachers and school officials to carry guns on school grounds. Voters with children under 18 years old in public schools support arming teachers and school officials 54 - 44 percent. Gun owners support the idea 69 - 28 percent. "The tragedy at the Santa Fe school south of Houston changed few opinions among Texas voters about gun control. Support for gun control in general is down slightly, while support for background checks for all gun buyers is virtually unchanged," said Peter A. Brown, assistant director of the Quinnipiac Poll. "While 51 percent of Texas voters want to arm teachers and other school officials, 87 percent of voters want armed security officers in the schools." By a much larger 87 - 11 percent, Texas voters support having armed security officers in schools. Support is 77 percent or higher among every listed party, gender, education, age and racial group, including parents of schoolchildren and voters in gun households. Texas voters support 64 - 27 percent holding parents legally responsible if their child commits a crime with the parent's gun. Support is consistent among all listed groups. Voters also support 64 - 33 percent laws requiring that all guns be kept in a locked place. Gun owners are divided as 47 percent support such laws and 49 percent oppose them. Texas voters support 50 - 44 percent a nationwide ban on the sale of assault weapons. Again, there are wide gender, party and racial divisions. Support for such a ban increases with age: Voters 18 to 34 years old are divided, with 47 percent supporting a ban and 49 percent opposed; Voters over 65 years old support a ban 57 - 35 percent. From May 23 - 29, Quinnipiac University surveyed 961 Texas voters with a margin of error of +/- 3.8 percentage points, including the design effect. Live interviewers call landlines and cell phones. The Quinnipiac University Poll, directed by Douglas Schwartz, Ph.D., conducts nationwide public opinion surveys, and statewide polls in Pennsylvania, New York, New Jersey, Connecticut, Florida, Ohio, Virginia, Iowa, Colorado and Texas as a public service and for research. Visit poll.qu.edu or www.facebook.com/quinnipiacpoll Call (203) 582-5201, or follow us on Twitter @QuinnipiacPoll. 12. Do you support or oppose stricter gun laws in the United States? WHITE...... COLLEGE DEG Tot Rep Dem Ind Men Wom Yes No Support 49% 25% 79% 53% 42% 56% 48% 39% Oppose 45 70 17 42 51 39 48 56 DK/NA 6 5 5 5 6 6 5 5 AGE IN YRS.............. WHITE..... 18-34 35-49 50-64 65+ Men Wom Wht Blk Hsp Support 52% 46% 47% 56% 37% 47% 43% 68% 58% Oppose 41 48 47 38 59 47 53 29 36 DK/NA 6 6 6 6 4 6 5 4 6 HAVE KIDS <18 YRS GUN......... DENSITY............ InPublic HsHld Owner City Suburb Rural Yes School Support 39% 37% 57% 49% 35% 43% 42% Oppose 55 58 37 44 61 53 55 DK/NA 5 5 6 7 5 4 3 13. Do you support or oppose requiring background checks for all gun buyers? WHITE...... COLLEGE DEG Tot Rep Dem Ind Men Wom Yes No Support 93% 91% 98% 93% 91% 95% 94% 91% Oppose 6 7 2 6 8 4 5 8 DK/NA 2 3 - 1 2 1 1 1 AGE IN YRS.............. WHITE..... 18-34 35-49 50-64 65+ Men Wom Wht Blk Hsp Support 96% 91% 93% 91% 88% 95% 92% 96% 95% Oppose 3 7 6 8 10 4 7 4 4 DK/NA 1 2 2 1 2 1 1 - 1 HAVE KIDS <18 YRS GUN......... DENSITY............ InPublic HsHld Owner City Suburb Rural Yes School Support 92% 92% 95% 94% 89% 90% 89% Oppose 7 7 4 4 8 8 9 DK/NA 1 1 - 3 3 1 1 14. Do you support or oppose a nationwide ban on the sale of assault weapons? WHITE...... COLLEGE DEG Tot Rep Dem Ind Men Wom Yes No Support 50% 31% 83% 50% 41% 60% 46% 42% Oppose 44 63 15 44 55 34 48 53 DK/NA 5 5 2 6 5 6 7 4 AGE IN YRS.............. WHITE..... 18-34 35-49 50-64 65+ Men Wom Wht Blk Hsp Support 47% 47% 52% 57% 34% 52% 44% 73% 56% Oppose 49 49 43 35 63 40 51 23 42 DK/NA 4 4 5 8 3 8 5 4 1 HAVE KIDS <18 YRS GUN......... DENSITY............ InPublic HsHld Owner City Suburb Rural Yes School Support 38% 33% 57% 46% 44% 43% 45% Oppose 56 61 39 48 51 54 52 DK/NA 5 5 5 6 5 3 3 15. Do you support or oppose laws requiring that all guns be kept in a locked place? WHITE...... COLLEGE DEG Tot Rep Dem Ind Men Wom Yes No Support 64% 53% 84% 62% 56% 72% 50% 61% Oppose 33 44 12 35 41 24 46 36 DK/NA 3 3 3 3 3 3 4 3 AGE IN YRS.............. WHITE..... 18-34 35-49 50-64 65+ Men Wom Wht Blk Hsp Support 66% 66% 62% 69% 45% 64% 55% 84% 74% Oppose 33 32 35 27 52 32 41 11 24 DK/NA 2 3 3 4 3 4 3 4 2 HAVE KIDS <18 YRS GUN......... DENSITY............ InPublic HsHld Owner City Suburb Rural Yes School Support 49% 47% 69% 63% 58% 61% 63% Oppose 47 49 28 35 38 37 34 DK/NA 3 3 3 2 4 2 3 16. Do you support or oppose holding parents legally responsible if their child commits a crime with the parent's gun? WHITE...... COLLEGE DEG Tot Rep Dem Ind Men Wom Yes No Support 64% 60% 68% 65% 68% 59% 64% 62% Oppose 27 28 23 27 25 29 25 24 DK/NA 9 12 9 8 7 12 11 14 AGE IN YRS.............. WHITE..... 18-34 35-49 50-64 65+ Men Wom Wht Blk Hsp Support 65% 68% 59% 68% 65% 61% 63% 68% 64% Oppose 27 26 32 21 25 25 25 26 30 DK/NA 8 7 9 11 10 14 12 6 6 HAVE KIDS <18 YRS GUN......... DENSITY............ InPublic HsHld Owner City Suburb Rural Yes School Support 66% 66% 69% 61% 56% 65% 66% Oppose 26 26 23 30 32 27 26 DK/NA 8 7 8 9 12 8 9 17. Do you support or oppose allowing teachers and school officials to carry guns on school grounds? WHITE...... COLLEGE DEG Tot Rep Dem Ind Men Wom Yes No Support 51% 78% 12% 50% 57% 45% 59% 69% Oppose 45 18 83 47 39 51 37 26 DK/NA 4 4 6 3 3 5 4 5 AGE IN YRS.............. WHITE..... 18-34 35-49 50-64 65+ Men Wom Wht Blk Hsp Support 49% 48% 54% 51% 72% 58% 65% 17% 43% Oppose 49 50 42 41 26 36 31 79 54 DK/NA 1 2 4 8 2 6 4 4 3 HAVE KIDS <18 YRS GUN......... DENSITY............ InPublic HsHld Owner City Suburb Rural Yes School Support 65% 69% 48% 46% 62% 56% 54% Oppose 32 28 47 49 35 42 44 DK/NA 4 4 4 4 2 2 2 18. Do you support or oppose having armed security officers in schools? WHITE...... COLLEGE DEG Tot Rep Dem Ind Men Wom Yes No Support 87% 95% 77% 85% 89% 85% 90% 91% Oppose 11 4 19 14 10 12 8 6 DK/NA 2 2 4 1 1 3 2 3 AGE IN YRS.............. WHITE..... 18-34 35-49 50-64 65+ Men Wom Wht Blk Hsp Support 84% 86% 88% 88% 92% 90% 91% 81% 83% Oppose 14 11 10 9 7 6 7 17 16 DK/NA 2 3 1 3 1 4 2 2 2 HAVE KIDS <18 YRS GUN......... DENSITY............ InPublic HsHld Owner City Suburb Rural Yes School Support 93% 95% 85% 87% 92% 89% 88% Oppose 6 4 13 11 6 9 10 DK/NA 1 1 2 2 2 2 2
