More than 90 percent support universal background checks proposed by Obama. Poll: Most back Obama gun measures

Majorities of those polled support nine different elements of President Barack Obama’s plan to stop gun violence, according to a survey released Wednesday.

But that doesn’t guarantee passage of the plan. While individual elements are popular, a Gallup poll conducted last week found only 53 percent wanted their representative in Congress to vote for the plan as a whole — less support than any individual element received.


The Gallup poll found majority support for universal background checks (91 percent), increased spending on mental health programs for young people (82 percent), increased training for first responders on how to respond to school attacks (79 percent), increased penalties for straw purchasers (75 percent), spending $4 billion to keep 15,000 police officers on the street (70 percent) and spending $30 million to help schools develop emergency response plans (69 percent).

Outright bans on ammunition and guns drew less backing. Two-thirds of Americans want a ban on armor-piercing bullets, while 60 percent want a reinstatement the assault weapons ban and 54 percent want a ban on ammunition clips holding more than 10 bullets. The bans on assault weapons and ammunition clips were the only two proposals that didn’t draw support from a majority of Republicans, earning 49 percent and 39 percent support from the GOP, respectively. Majorities of independents and Democrats supported every part of the plan.

Gallup didn’t identify any of the nine elements as part of Obama’s plan, indicating the decreased support may be linked to dislike of the president rather than the specifics of his plan. Polling indicates a similarity to the Affordable Care Act. The vast majority of the health care overhaul’s provisions drew support from a majority of American, but the full law remains unpopular.

Americans also want more of a focus on mental health and school safety than on gun control. Sixty-five percent want Obama and Congress to focus on the former, and only 30 percent want a focus on the latter.

The poll of 1,013 adults was conducted Jan. 19 and Jan. 20. It has a margin of error of plus or minus four percentage points.