Americans back stricter gun laws by a nearly 2-to-1 margin, according to a new CBS poll that was conducted in the wake of the school shooting in Parkland, Florida.
But despite widespread support for a range of gun safety measures, Americans don’t expect progress on the issue any time soon.
The poll found that 65% of Americans back stricter gun laws, up 8 points from December, and “the highest number recorded in this poll,” according to CBS. The largest uptick in support came among Republicans, up 14 points.
Most Americans, however, have limited expectations for movement on the issue. Fifty-nine percent say they don’t expect gun legislation in the near future.
Many of the proposals currently circulating among lawmakers received majority support in the poll, although President Donald Trump’s pitch to arm more teachers garnered lukewarm backing.
Among those: 87% support increased funding for mental health screenings; 75% support strengthening background checks on gun buyers; 56% support a ban on bump stocks; and 53% support a nationwide ban on the AR-15. The proposal to arm some teachers, offered by Trump and some Republicans, received 44% support.
The CBS poll also found that Trump would have a hard time moving the needle among the recalcitrant portion of his base — 61% of those currently opposed to stricter gun laws said Trump’s support would not persuade them to back such measures, compared to 17% who suggested they could be swayed.
Trump himself received mostly negative marks on his response to the Parkland school shooting, though opinions were split sharply along partisan lines. Overall, 33% approve of the President’s handling of the shooting — just 7% of Democrats approved, compared to 69% of Republicans and 32% of independents.
The CBS poll was conducted between February 20 and 22 among a random nationwide sample of 1,012 adults. The margin of error is plus or minus 4 percentage points.
