Rasmussen Reports revealed Wednesday that “Democrats (51%) are much more likely than Republicans (13%) and those not affiliated with either major party (25%) to blame the availability of guns for mass shootings more than the person who pulls the trigger.”
This revelation comes in the wake of the tragic synagogue attack in Pittsburgh in which 11 people were murdered and six more were injured, according to various reports. The survey was conducted Oct. 29-30 by Pulse Opinion Research LLC with a +/- 3 percentage point margin of error with a 95% level of confidence.
Federal prosecutors will be seeking the death penalty against suspected mass killer Robert Bowers, who was in court Monday. Attorney General Jeff Sessions confirmed the Justice Department may seek capital punishment, and according to CNN, that process has begun.
According to Rasmussen, 62 percent of Americans believe the shooter is more to blame than the availability of firearms, but Democrats stubbornly disagree.
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Seventy-one percent of Democrats, the survey discovered, think tougher gun laws would “help prevent” incidents like the Pittsburgh shooting, while only 28 percent of Republicans and 37 percent of independents agree with that assessment. This finding reinforces the commonly-held opinion among gun owners that Democrats are “the party of gun control” and are focused only on restricting gun rights.
The Rasmussen survey also found that 46 percent of American adults believe stricter gun laws could help prevent mass shootings, while 43 percent disagree.
But this cuts to the heart of a concern that is plaguing Second Amendment activists as the midterm elections loom: What if Democrats take back control of Congress?
As reported earlier in CFL, House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi promised an audience in Florida earlier this month that if Democrats win Tuesday, gun control will be a priority on their agenda in 2019. She appeared on The Late Show Monday night, predicting a victory.
However, others are not so sure, and predictions are all over the map regarding the midterms as Republicans appear to be surging ahead in some races while Democrats appear to hold the edge in other contests. Early voting in many areas is heavy.
There is another issue, however, that concerns gun rights activists. Too many voters seem to have the impression that the Second Amendment right to keep and bear arms is open to strict regulation, as a privilege.
But having a gun is not a privilege, it is an individual right, as affirmed by the U.S. Supreme Court in the 2008 Heller ruling and 2010 McDonald decision. Many in the Second Amendment community are convinced that right is on the line next Tuesday.
