Floridians support tighter gun control, wall on U.S.-Mexico border

AR-15 rifles line a shelf in the gun library at the ATF National Tracing Center in Martinsburg, West Virginia
The numbers come from a Florida Atlantic University poll.

A majority of Floridians support tightening the state’s gun control laws ahead of the anniversary of the shooting at Stoneman Douglas High School.

That’s according to a new poll from the Florida Atlantic University Business and Economics Polling Initiative (FAU BEPI).

Of those surveyed, 65 percent say that Florida’s gun control laws should be made stricter, 12 percent say they should be less strict and 23 percent say gun control laws should be left as they are.

The Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School Public Safety Act, which was passed last year, tightened some of those laws. The measure banned bump stocks, raised the purchasing age for guns from 18 to 21, and established a three-day waiting period for all gun buys.

The act also required schools to have at least one safety officer present on campus. That could be in the form of a current law enforcement officer or a member of the law’s newly created “Guardian program.”

Recently, the Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School Public Safety Commission has suggested expanding that program to allow teachers to be trained and armed if they so choose. FAU’s survey found 51 percent of Floridians oppose that idea, while 37 percent support it and 12 percent are undecided.

On the issue of school safety overall, a plurality of Floridians remains unsure that the issue has been adequately addressed. Just 14 percent say they are not at all concerned about students’ safety, while 45 percent are “extremely concerned” and an additional 41 percent are “somewhat concerned.”

On the debate over the border wall, 55 percent of Florida voters support “construction of an additional border wall along the U.S.-Mexico border.” Just 37 percent oppose that proposal, while 9 percent are undecided.

The recent battle over the border wall led to the longest government shutdown in U.S. history. According to FAU’s numbers, 51 percent said border wall funding should be offered in a deal to avert another shutdown, while 36 percent opposed offering that funding and 13 percent are undecided.

Florida voters disapprove of how the shutdown was handled overall, giving President Donald Trump and Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi negative approval ratings. But other polling data seems to support Trump’s call for a wall.

Ryan Nicol

Ryan Nicol covers news out of South Florida for Florida Politics. Ryan is a native Floridian who attended undergrad at Nova Southeastern University before moving on to law school at Florida State. After graduating with a law degree he moved into the news industry, working in TV News as a writer and producer, along with some freelance writing work. If you'd like to contact him, send an email to [email protected].


11 comments

  • Ryan You're An Idiot

    February 12, 2019 at 2:13 pm

    A “majority”? No, that’s anti-gun partisan bullshit. A) you didn’t survey all Floridians. So it’s a majority of those you surveyed. B) How many of those surveyed are snowbirds or other northern transplants? Because they can f*ck off back up north if they want that crap.

  • Dan

    February 12, 2019 at 4:45 pm

    The majority does NOT support tighter gun control. Must be the same majority that was going to win Hillary the election eh?

    • Danny

      February 13, 2019 at 8:26 pm

      Exactly!

  • Ima Freeman

    February 12, 2019 at 7:08 pm

    Says a poll at a leftist overrun university. What did you expect? FYI the little brainwashed socialists being pumped out of FAU and every other government funded indoctrination camp do not represent a majority of Floridians.

  • Steve

    February 12, 2019 at 11:59 pm

    I believe that young women and men over 18 should be have the right to own a weapon.

  • Evan

    February 13, 2019 at 7:13 am

    Funny, I don’t remember being asked……

  • Eric esparza

    February 13, 2019 at 9:18 am

    Sorry we dont support more gun control

  • Kevin

    February 13, 2019 at 9:37 am

    No more people/ gun control. Thanks though.

  • Skydog

    February 13, 2019 at 6:00 pm

    Funny
    100% of the people I surveyed said they gun control laws are fine and have been infringed on enough.
    100% of the people I surveyed said to build the wall as soon as possible, at no expense.

  • Skydog

    February 13, 2019 at 6:02 pm

    F in auto correct

  • Danny

    February 13, 2019 at 8:35 pm

    Because the right survey isn’t being performed. Break down gun control where just the certified crazies (the only ones going on mass killing sprees) are denied guns, then you’ll get agreement. But just blanket gun control by fools like Rep Eric Stallwell would be very stupid, if allowed. You cannot trust a communist or a socialist.

Comments are closed.


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