(HorizonPost.com) – Young conservatives are far more likely to support gun restrictions than their older counterparts. A Harvard poll in March asked people aged 18 to 29 whether there should be restrictions on firearms ownership, and 59% of young Republicans said yes. This is compared to 88% of Democrats.
Among the age group generally, 58% support an assault weapons ban, and 73% would like to see psychological testing carried out on all gun purchasers. When asked about policing, 50% said they prefer England’s approach, where only some specially trained officers are armed.
Joacim Hernandez, chairman of the Texas Young Republican Federation, said, “There are some concerns from Gen Z voters specifically, mainly because they’ve had to deal with it growing up — it’s become more rampant in society.”
While older Republicans remain the staunchest defenders of the Second Amendment, the opinion divide on firearms complicates matters for the GOP, and there are signs of shifts occurring across all age groups and demographics.
For example, in Texas, a survey in May showed a surprisingly high number of Republican voters in favor of firearms constraints. A significant majority of 76% said the legal age for purchasing guns should be raised, and 72% agree that courts should be able to confiscate weapons from people deemed a risk to themselves or others.
YouGov’s biweekly surveys on social attitudes also reflect a dramatic change in approach to some traditional bread-and-butter conservative or Republican standpoints. In February 2023, there was a growth in support for gun restrictions from Republicans, with 47% favoring legislation to increase safety controls, compared to 41% just last August. This represents a shift of 6% in just over six months.
Among Democrats, there is less divide and less convergence between age groups. Gen Z and millennial Democrats (those born after 1982) favor firearms restrictions at the rate of 55%, with older Democrats almost precisely the same at 56%.
Overall, 79% of Democrats support more gun restrictions, compared to 29% of Republicans.
Copyright 2023, HorizonPost.com
