FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
December 10, 2009
No. 12

NEW POLL BY FRANK LUNTZ SHOWS NRA-MEMBERS AND OTHER GUN OWNERS SUPPORT SENSIBLE MEASURES TO KEEP GUNS OUT OF THE HANDS OF CRIMINALS.

Poll Finds Broad Common Ground Between NRA Members and Mayors' Efforts to Close Gaps in Background Checks

Luntz to Discuss Poll Today in 3:30 PM ET Conference Call

82% of NRA Members and 86% of Non-NRA Gun Owners Support Prohibiting Suspected Terrorists From Purchasing Guns

69% of NRA Members and 85% of Non-NRA Gun Owners Support Background Checks for all Gun Sales at Gun Shows

The bi-partisan coalition of Mayors Against Illegal Guns today announced the results of a new poll by Republican pollster Frank Luntz. The poll reveals that NRA members and other Americans who own guns strongly support a sensible approach to gun laws that protects personal freedoms while also keeping illegal guns out of the hands of criminals.

"The poll clearly shows that NRA members are no different from general gun owners," said  Frank Luntz. "By overwhelming numbers, they all believe that that Second Amendment rights and keeping guns from criminals are complementary, not contradictory. It is perfectly consistent to support the Second Amendment and still support background checks at gun shows and greater efforts to keep terrorists from buying guns."

Among many results, the poll showed the following:

• NRA members and gun owners support an approach that protects personal freedom and  security;
  
  
• NRA members and gun owners support sensible new measures to combat illegal guns,  including closing the terror gap (82 percent NRA members support, 86 percent Non- NRA gun owners support), closing the gun show loophole (69 percent / 85 percent), and  requiring gun owners to report lost and stolen guns (78 percent / 88 percent); and
  
  
• NRA members and gun owners oppose policies they believe violate their rights, such as  a national gun registry (59 percent NRA oppose, 42 percent non-NRA oppose).

"Our coalition of mayors understands that we can do more to preserve the freedom of law-abiding citizens to own guns, while still keeping guns out of the hands of criminals and terrorists," said coalition co-chair and New York Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg.  "It's not surprising that the NRA's members and other gun owners share our sensible approach. Since we began this coalition, we've said all along: Americans share an enormous amount of common ground on the issue of guns.  This poll provides the irrefutable proof, and we hope it will serve as a wake-up call to Congress."

"This poll underscores what Mayors Against Illegal Guns has been saying all along," said coalition co-chair and Boston Mayor Thomas Menino. "Our work to create sensible laws that combat illegal guns is not guided by partisan politics or special interests.  It's guided by common sense and a commitment to making America's streets safer.  While the NRA continues to pour countless dollars into misrepresenting our agenda, this poll demonstrates that their own members support many of the core initiatives of our coalition."

The poll also showed strong support from both NRA members and other gun-owners on other basic issues, such as background checks for gun store employees and ensuring full prosecution of gun traffickers and criminals who use guns.

The poll also reveals a major split between the views of NRA members and the organization's leadership. 

"I am a staunch supporter of Second Amendment rights, and a staunch supporter of this coalition," said Mayor Mary Lou Hildreth of Keystone Heights, Florida, a gun owner, a member of the NRA, and a member of Mayors Against Illegal Guns. "This poll shows that when it comes to ensuring that all guns sold at gun shows are subject to a background check - the vast majority of NRA members agree with America's mayors."

The survey, performed on behalf of Mayors Against Illegal Guns, was conducted by Frank Luntz and his polling firm, the Word Doctors. The poll was conducted from November 25 to December 2, 2009 and surveyed 401 NRA gun-owners and 431 non-NRA gun owners.  The poll has margin of error of +/- 3.5 percent.

About Mayors Against Illegal Guns

Since its inception in April 2006, Mayors Against Illegal Guns has grown from just 15 mayors to more than 500 members.  Mayors Against Illegal Guns has united the nation's mayors around common sense goals: finding new ways to strengthen the enforcement of existing laws, protecting their communities by holding gun offenders and irresponsible gun dealers accountable, demanding access to trace data that is critical to law enforcement efforts to combat illegal gun trafficking, and working with legislators to fix gaps, weaknesses and loopholes in the law that make it easy for criminals and other prohibited purchasers to get guns.