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Post-Orlando Poll Shows Support Jumps For Assault Weapons Ban

Republican backing for ban has increased 20 points since San Bernardino

Demonstrators supporting Connecticut Sen. Christopher S. Murphy's filibuster on gun laws march onto the grounds of the U.S. Capitol on Wednesday night. (Bill Clark/CQ Roll Call)
Demonstrators supporting Connecticut Sen. Christopher S. Murphy's filibuster on gun laws march onto the grounds of the U.S. Capitol on Wednesday night. (Bill Clark/CQ Roll Call)

Support for a nationwide ban on assault weapons increased in the wake of the mass shooting at an Orlando nightclub that killed 49 people, especially among Republicans, a new poll shows.  

The CBS News poll , conducted over the two days following the shooting, shows 57 percent of respondents favor banning assault weapons, a 13 percent increase from a previous CBS News/New York Times poll that was conducted a few days after of the San Bernardino shooting in California that killed 14 people.   

But support for an assault weapons ban climbed the most among Republicans.   

In December, 25 percent of Republicans supported an assault weapons ban, but in the most recent poll, 45 percent of GOP voters are in favor.   

There was also a 14 percent bump in support among Democrats to 78 percent. More independents favored a ban, too, up 5 percent to 47 percent.  

Contact Smith at 


jeremysmith@cqrollcall.com


  and follow him on Twitter 


@JeremySilkSmith

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