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By Voto Latino
Latinos are the second largest voting bloc in the country and disproportionately reside in critical battleground states where they are also the fastest growing voting bloc. Candidates hoping to win in November and beyond will need to appeal to Latinos and the issues that matter to them. In order to understand how Latinos feel about two of the most salient issues in the country – abortion rights and mass shootings – Change Research surveyed 1,033 registered Hispanic and Latino voters in the seven key battleground states of Texas, Arizona, Nevada, Florida, Georgia, North Carolina, and Pennsylvania from June 2-7, 2022 on behalf of Voto Latino.1
A strong majority of Latinos are concerned about their personal safety from gun violence and believe weak gun laws are a major reason why perpetrators are capable of inflicting such carnage. Overwhelming majorities support many common sense gun safety laws Democrats have proposed and believe there would be fewer mass shootings if they were to be enacted. Latinos are also ready to reward leaders who take action on gun laws: an overwhelming 69% are more likely to support candidates who support the gun laws tested in this poll, including roughly half of Republican Latinos.
Latinos also fear for their reproductive freedoms as the conservative majority on the Supreme Court indicates it is prepared to overturn Roe v. Wade. Over two-thirds of Latinos support the right to an abortion in all or most cases.
Other findings:
● Latinos overwhelmingly think mass shootings are a big issue in the US with 86% saying it is either a crisis or a major issue. Latinos are fearful for their personal safety from mass shootings in public places, with 69% saying this worries them either “a lot” or “some”.
● Large majorities of Latinos support many common sense gun laws they believe would make them safer from mass shootings and they are ready to reward leaders with the courage to act. An overwhelming 78% of Latinos agree that “common sense gun safety measures can be passed while still respecting the Second Amendment rights of responsible gun owners” and 57% strongly agree with that. Various policy propositions:
○ Requiring background checks on all gun purchases.
82% strongly support, 9% somewhat support
With 99% of Democrats, 90% of Independents, and 80% of Republicans
○ Requiring gun safety training courses before the purchase of a handgun.
72% strongly support, 15% somewhat support
Requiring gun safety training courses before the purchase of a
handgun also has broad support at 87% of Latinos. 98% of Democrats
support this, 84% of Independents, and 73% of Republicans
○ Banning the sale of assault weapons.
■ 53% strongly support, 9% somewhat support
- Banning the sale of assault weapons is supported by 62% of Latinos overall, with a majority (53%) of Independents supporting the policy compared to 42% opposing.
- Banning the sale of high-capacity magazines.
- 52% strongly support, 10% somewhat support
- Banning the sale of high-capacity magazines is supported by 62% ofLatinos. 56% of Independents support the policy, compared to 36%opposing.
- ○ Increasing the minimum age of purchasing a firearm to 21 years old.
- 68% strongly support, 11% somewhat support
- Increasing the minimum age of buying a firearm has overwhelmingsupport among Latinos at 79%. Republicans are at 58%, Independentsat 78%, and Dems at 96%.
- ○ Prohibiting the open and concealed carry of firearms without prior safety training or a permit.
- 65% strongly support, 13% somewhat support
- Prohibiting carrying firearms without safety training or a permit polls at78% among Latinos, with 56% of Republicans, 74% of Independents, and95% of Democrats in support.
- ○ Requiring firearms to be safely stored in homes with children.
- 77% strongly support, 9% somewhat support
- 87% of Latinos support requiring firearms to be safely stored in homeswith children, with 96% of Dems in support, 88% of Independents, and74% of Republicans.
- ○ Creating a “red flag” law that would allow family members or law enforcement to remove guns from someone who is acting violent or unstable.
- 63% strongly support, 15% somewhat support
- 78% of Latinos support red flag laws. A majority of Republicans do at52% compared to 42%, a clear majority. 79% of Independents supportthese laws as well as 97% of Democrats.
- ○ Required licensing for all gun owners
- 66% strongly support, 10% somewhat support
- 76% of Latinos support requiring licensing for all gun owners, with 97%of Democrats and 78% of Independents in support. Nearly a majority ofRepublicans support mandatory licensing at 46%.
- ○ A mandatory wait period when purchasing a gun
- 64% strongly support, 15% somewhat support
- Mandatory wait periods are overwhelmingly popular at 79% amongLatinos. Even among Republicans, 60% vs 38% opposed. Among Independents, 76% support mandatory and wait period, and among Democrats, 96% do.
● Latinos believe gun laws in their state are not restrictive enough and are frustrated with the lack of action from their leaders at every level of government. Six-in-ten Latinos in these battleground states say that their state gun laws are not restrictive enough, and only 10% believe that they are too restrictive. Latinos identify limited mental health resources, gun laws, and gun culture as the factors that contribute most to mass shootings in their state.
1 — On behalf of Voto Latino, Change Research polled 1,033 Hispanic and Latino voters across AZ, NV, TX, FL, GA, NC, and PA from June 2-7, 2022. The margin of error as traditionally calculated is 3.1%. Change Research reaches voters via targeted online ads & text messages that point people to an online survey instrument. Post stratification was done on state, gender, age, education, and 2020 presidential vote.
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