April 12, 2017 - 94% Of Virginians Back Universal Background Checks Quinnipiac University Poll Finds; Voters Support Expanding Medicaid 2-1

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Virginia voters support 94 - 5 percent, including 90 - 8 percent among Republicans, background checks for all gun buyers, according to a Quinnipiac University poll released today.





Voters also support 62 - 32 percent a Virginia law, repealed in 2012, which limited a person to buying only one handgun per month, as opposed to current law which has no limit on handgun purchases, the independent Quinnipiac (KWIN-uh-pe-ack) University Poll finds.





Republicans oppose the limit 57 - 39 percent. White men are divided, with 46 percent supporting the limit and 50 percent opposed. Every other listed party, gender, educational, age and racial group supports the limit on handgun purchases.





Virginia voter attitudes on other gun issues are:

Support 54 - 41 percent stricter gun laws in the state;

49 percent say it's too easy to buy a gun in Virginia, while 2 percent say it's too difficult and 38 percent say it's "about right;"

Voters say 66 - 23 percent that new gun laws will not interfere with the right to own guns;

If more people carried guns, Virginia would be less safe, 53 percent of voters say, while 35 percent say it would be safer.

"Many observers have commented about how much Virginia has changed politically from its deep red history to a leaning Democratic hue in little more than a decade," said Peter A. Brown, assistant director of the Quinnipiac University Poll.





"They generally cite the Democrats' ability to carry the state in the most recent presidential, U.S. Senate and gubernatorial races. But what also seems to be lining up in the Democratic column is Virginia voters' values on some hot-button issues."





"Virginians, in this latest Quinnipiac University poll, say they favor stricter gun control in general and specifically Gov. Terry McAuliffe's proposal to limit handgun purchases," Brown added.





"They want adults to be able to use marijuana on a recreational basis, and they also favor enlarging the government by increasing the number of folks who are covered by Medicaid, the federal/state healthcare program for the poor."





Virginia voters support 59 - 35 percent allowing adults to legally possess small amounts of marijuana for personal use. Opposition is 61 - 34 percent among Republicans and 60 - 33 percent among voters over 65 years old. All other listed groups support legalized marijuana.





By an overwhelming 92 - 6 percent, voters support allowing adults to use marijuana for medical use if a doctor prescribes it.





Virginia voters also say 59 - 30 percent that increasing the number of people eligible for Medicaid coverage is a "good idea." Republicans say 64 - 25 percent that it's a "bad idea," the only listed group opposed to expanding Medicaid.





A total of 66 percent of Virginia voters are "very satisfied" or "somewhat satisfied" with the way things are going in the state today, while 33 percent are "somewhat dissatisfied" or "very dissatisfied."





"Virginians are a happy bunch. Two out of three voters say they are satisfied with the way things are going in their state, a good deal higher than in many of the other 49 states. For instance, a Quinnipiac University Poll in New Jersey last month found only 36 percent were satisfied," Brown said.





From April 6 - 10, Quinnipiac University surveyed 1,115 Virginia voters with a margin of error of +/- 2.9 percentage points. Live interviewers call landlines and cell phones.





The Quinnipiac University Poll, directed by Douglas Schwartz, Ph.D., conducts public opinion surveys in Pennsylvania, New York, New Jersey, Connecticut, Florida, Ohio, Virginia, Iowa, Colorado and the nation as a public service and for research.





Visit poll.qu.edu or www.facebook.com/quinnipiacpoll





Call (203) 582-5201, or follow us on Twitter @QuinnipiacPoll.





24. Do you approve or disapprove of President Trump's nomination of Neil Gorsuch to the Supreme Court?

WHITE...... COLLEGE DEG Tot Rep Dem Ind Men Wom Yes No Approve 47% 89% 15% 51% 55% 39% 55% 57% Disapprove 41 2 74 33 35 45 36 27 DK/NA 13 9 11 16 10 15 9 17 AGE IN YRS.............. WHITE..... Non- 18-34 35-49 50-64 65+ Men Wom Wht Wht Approve 34% 43% 53% 54% 63% 49% 56% 27% Disapprove 47 45 38 33 28 35 32 61 DK/NA 18 11 9 13 9 16 13 12

25. In general, how satisfied are you with the way things are going in Virginia today; are you very satisfied, somewhat satisfied, somewhat dissatisfied, or very dissatisfied?

WHITE...... COLLEGE DEG Tot Rep Dem Ind Men Wom Yes No Very satisfied 10% 6% 15% 8% 11% 9% 8% 10% Smwht satisfied 56 52 63 57 55 57 62 53 Smwht dissatisfied 26 33 17 28 25 26 26 28 Very dissatisfied 7 7 5 5 7 7 3 8 DK/NA 1 1 - 2 1 1 - 1 AGE IN YRS.............. WHITE..... Non- 18-34 35-49 50-64 65+ Men Wom Wht Wht Very satisfied 13% 7% 10% 10% 11% 8% 9% 11% Smwht satisfied 50 55 61 60 54 61 58 55 Smwht dissatisfied 28 30 23 23 27 26 27 24 Very dissatisfied 7 7 6 6 7 5 6 8 DK/NA 3 1 - 1 1 1 1 2

26. As you may know Medicaid is a government program that pays for health care for low-income people and others with certain disabilities. Do you think that increasing the number of people eligible for Medicaid coverage in Virginia is a good idea or a bad idea?

WHITE...... COLLEGE DEG Tot Rep Dem Ind Men Wom Yes No Good idea 59% 25% 86% 57% 55% 63% 58% 51% Bad idea 30 64 6 32 35 26 35 35 DK/NA 11 11 7 10 10 12 7 14 AGE IN YRS.............. WHITE..... Non- 18-34 35-49 50-64 65+ Men Wom Wht Wht Good idea 63% 57% 61% 59% 51% 58% 55% 71% Bad idea 27 31 30 31 40 31 35 19 DK/NA 9 12 9 11 9 11 10 10

27. What if you knew that the federal government would pay for 90 percent of the costs of this Medicaid increase, while the state would only need to pay 10 percent; would you think that increasing the number of people eligible for Medicaid coverage in Virginia is a good idea or a bad idea?

WHITE...... COLLEGE DEG Tot Rep Dem Ind Men Wom Yes No Good idea 57% 21% 86% 55% 54% 60% 58% 48% Bad idea 33 69 7 36 38 28 38 38 DK/NA 10 10 7 9 8 11 4 13 AGE IN YRS.............. WHITE..... Non- 18-34 35-49 50-64 65+ Men Wom Wht Wht Good idea 61% 59% 57% 57% 51% 55% 53% 69% Bad idea 32 31 33 34 43 34 38 20 DK/NA 8 10 10 9 6 11 9 11

28. Do you support or oppose allowing adults in Virginia to legally possess small amounts of marijuana for personal use?

WHITE...... COLLEGE DEG Tot Rep Dem Ind Men Wom Yes No Support 59% 34% 69% 64% 62% 56% 60% 56% Oppose 35 61 25 30 32 38 34 39 DK/NA 6 5 5 6 6 5 6 5 AGE IN YRS.............. WHITE..... Non- 18-34 35-49 50-64 65+ Men Wom Wht Wht Support 78% 71% 58% 33% 61% 54% 58% 62% Oppose 20 24 36 60 33 40 36 33 DK/NA 2 5 6 7 6 6 6 5

29. Do you support or oppose allowing adults in Virginia to legally use marijuana for medical purposes if their doctor prescribes it?

WHITE...... COLLEGE DEG Tot Rep Dem Ind Men Wom Yes No Support 92% 83% 97% 96% 91% 93% 92% 91% Oppose 6 13 2 4 8 5 6 8 DK/NA 2 4 1 1 2 2 2 2 AGE IN YRS.............. WHITE..... Non- 18-34 35-49 50-64 65+ Men Wom Wht Wht Support 97% 96% 94% 84% 91% 92% 91% 95% Oppose 3 3 5 11 7 6 7 4 DK/NA - 1 1 5 2 2 2 1

30. Do you support or oppose stricter gun laws in Virginia?

WHITE...... COLLEGE DEG Tot Rep Dem Ind Men Wom Yes No Support 54% 19% 84% 50% 42% 64% 53% 43% Oppose 41 76 12 46 53 32 43 52 DK/NA 5 5 4 4 5 4 4 4 AGE IN YRS.............. WHITE..... Non- 18-34 35-49 50-64 65+ Men Wom Wht Wht Support 54% 50% 57% 53% 38% 59% 49% 64% Oppose 41 47 39 41 58 37 47 31 DK/NA 5 3 4 5 4 4 4 5

31. Do you support or oppose requiring background checks for all gun buyers?

WHITE...... COLLEGE DEG Tot Rep Dem Ind Men Wom Yes No Support 94% 90% 99% 94% 91% 96% 94% 94% Oppose 5 8 1 6 7 3 6 3 DK/NA 1 1 - - 2 1 - 2 AGE IN YRS.............. WHITE..... Non- 18-34 35-49 50-64 65+ Men Wom Wht Wht Support 95% 90% 95% 96% 91% 97% 94% 93% Oppose 5 5 4 3 7 2 5 6 DK/NA - 5 1 1 2 1 1 2

32. Until 2012, individuals could only buy one handgun a month in Virginia. The law was changed so there is now no limit on handgun purchases. Which do you prefer, the old law that limited people to buying one handgun per month, or the current law which does not limit purchases of handguns?

WHITE...... COLLEGE DEG Tot Rep Dem Ind Men Wom Yes No One gun per month 62% 39% 85% 59% 49% 73% 63% 51% No limits 32 57 9 37 45 21 31 45 DK/NA 6 4 5 5 6 6 6 4 AGE IN YRS.............. WHITE..... Non- 18-34 35-49 50-64 65+ Men Wom Wht Wht One gun per month 53% 60% 68% 68% 46% 69% 58% 72% No limits 40 35 28 28 50 25 37 21 DK/NA 7 5 4 5 4 6 5 7

33. Do you think it is too easy to buy a gun in Virginia today, too difficult to buy a gun in Virginia today, or about right?

WHITE...... COLLEGE DEG Tot Rep Dem Ind Men Wom Yes No Too easy 49% 25% 78% 40% 37% 60% 49% 36% Too difficult 2 3 - 2 3 1 2 2 About right 38 61 14 45 52 26 39 51 DK/NA 11 10 9 13 8 13 10 11 AGE IN YRS.............. WHITE..... Non- 18-34 35-49 50-64 65+ Men Wom Wht Wht Too easy 48% 51% 50% 51% 34% 52% 43% 63% Too difficult - 4 2 - 3 1 2 2 About right 39 41 36 38 57 33 45 25 DK/NA 13 4 12 11 6 14 10 10

34. Do you think any new gun laws will interfere with the right to own guns, or do you think it's possible to make new gun laws without interfering with gun rights?

WHITE...... COLLEGE DEG Tot Rep Dem Ind Men Wom Yes No Will interfere 23% 38% 12% 24% 29% 17% 23% 28% Won't interfere 66 55 79 68 63 69 70 62 NO RIGHT TO OWN(VOL) 1 - 2 - - 1 1 - DK/NA 10 8 7 8 8 12 7 10 AGE IN YRS.............. WHITE..... Non- 18-34 35-49 50-64 65+ Men Wom Wht Wht Will interfere 20% 22% 24% 25% 33% 18% 25% 18% Won't interfere 72 71 69 58 61 71 66 68 NO RIGHT TO OWN(VOL) - - 1 1 - 1 - 1 DK/NA 8 7 5 16 6 10 8 13

35. If more people carried guns, do you think Virginia would be safer or less safe?