While Republican leaders such as Sen. Majority Mitch McConnell (R-KY) are giving ground on more gun laws, Republican voters support gun rights over gun control by a margin of nearly 3 to 1.

A Morning Consult/Politico survey shows that 71 percent of Republicans support protecting the right of Americans to own guns while 22 percent support passage of more gun control.

Among voters who supported Donald Trump in 2016 the gap is slightly larger, with 73 percent supporting protection of the right to own guns while only 21 percent support more gun control.

This survey comes just days after McConnell made clear universal background checks “will probably lead the discussion” when the Senate reconvenes in September. He also said an “assault weapons” ban would be “front and center.”

On August 11, White House aide Kellyanne Conway said Republican opposition to gun control is “reconcilable.”

AWR Hawkins is an award-winning Second Amendment columnist for Breitbart News and the writer/curator of Down Range with AWR Hawkins, a weekly newsletter focused on all things Second Amendment, also for Breitbart News. He is the political analyst for Armed American Radio. Follow him on Twitter: @AWRHawkins. Reach him directly at awrhawkins@breitbart.com. Sign up to get Down Range at breitbart.com/downrange.