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Undecided voters are looking at gun violence prevention as a major factor in their
upcoming vote. Of the 12% of voters who havent committed to a candidate for
Senate, 85% say making it harder for criminals to get guns is an important issue,
71% support background checks on all gun sales, and 77% support prohibiting
individuals on the FBI Terror Watch List from buying guns.
Gun violence prevention is such an important issue for New Hampshire voters that
many are willing to disregard candidates stances on other issues when considering
whom to cast their ballot for. A 43% plurality of voters say they are less likely to
vote for a candidate who opposes background checks on gun sales, even if they
agree with that candidate on most other issues. Among undecided voters in the
Senate race, a 39% plurality would be less likely to vote for such a candidate.
New Hampshire voters are overwhelmingly in favor of the gun safety proposals
introduced in Congress this year. 85% support prohibiting individuals on the FBI
Terror Watch List from buying guns, and 80% support requiring background checks
on all gun sales, including those sold online or at gun shows.
A significant portion of voters think Sen. Kelly Ayotte is a stronger advocate for
gun violence prevention than her actual policy positions suggest. 52% either think
Ayotte supports background checks on gun sales or they are unsure of her stance a
seven point decrease from our last statewide poll in August, suggesting voters are
catching on to Ayottes out-of-touch, anti-gun safety positions and, importantly, has
further to fall when more voters are educated about her stance.
Ayottes anti-gun violence prevention platform is hurting her with the vast majority
of voters who back implementing background checks on gun sales and say gun
violence prevention is of importance to them in this election cycle. A 51% majority
of voters who support background checks hold an unfavorable opinion of Ayotte,
and 53% of voters who say gun violence prevention is important to them also hold a
negative opinion of her.
PPP surveyed 600 likely New Hampshire voters from October 7-9, 2016. The margin of
error for the survey is +/- 4.0%. 80% of interviews for the poll were conducted over the
phone with 20% interviewed over the internet to reach respondents who dont have
landline telephones. This poll was sponsored by Americans for Responsible Solutions.