Support for gun control is overwhelming after Florida's school shooting, but confidence in Congress taking action is overwhelmingly pessimistic, according to the latest USA Today poll.
Just 19 percent believe the odds are "excellent" or "good" for Congress taking action, while a 76 percent majority rate the possibly of change as "fair" or "poor."
In this category, Republicans are more optimistic in Congress taking action by a 2-1 margin – as 28 percent of GOP registers voters predict action, compared to just 14 percent of Democrats – according to the poll.
Despite the pessimism on gun control – one of the most divisive political issues – public opinion has a consensus in favoring new laws, according to the report.
- Almost 2-1, 61-33 percent say tightening gun-control laws and background checks will prevent U.S. mass shootings.
- More than 2-1, 63-29 percent support a ban on semi-automatic weapons.
- More than 6-1, 76-12 percent support a ban on mentally ill owning guns.
"Everyone who commits a mass shooting has a mental issue," John Shaw, 60, of Madison, Wisconsin, told USA Today. "Preventing them from getting the gun is the most important thing."
There is also bipartisan support for bolstering school security:
- Nearly 2-1, 58-32 percent support requiring an armed police officer on site
- Nearly 2-1, 62-27 percent support requiring metal detectors.
The USA Today/Suffolk poll of Feb. 20-24, surveyed 1,000 registered U.S. voters with a margin of error of 3 percent.
Also, Sunday, a CNN poll found equally overwhelming support for gun control, which hit a 25-year high after the Parkland, Florida, shooting that killed 17.
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