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  •  Wisconsin voters (4.00 / 3)

    in 1998 approved, by a 76-24 margin, an Amendment to the State Constitution making the Right to Keep and Bear more explicitly an individual Right. Stipulated this is not exactly the same thing as the AWB, but does represent overall sentiment.

    Russ Feingold recognised this, reversing his previous support for the AWB, saying his decision was based on feedback from his constant listening sessions. (he hits all 72 Wisconsin Counties every year.)

    It doesn't matter how much support AWB has in MD, NJ, CA. It plays badly in AZ, NM, CO, MN, WI, MI, WV, PA. I don't know about Florida, and suspect it's a wash in Ohio.

    Running against Herb "WIRETAP" Kohl in 2012. $1/year. Cash preferred.
    Masel4Senate 1214 E. Mifflin, Madison, WI 53703

    by ben masel on Mon Sep 13, 2004 at 09:53:21 AM PDT

    •  Recent polls in a dozen swing states (none / 0)

      Put support for renewing the ban at something like 65 to 70 percent.

      by sarcaustic on Mon Sep 13, 2004 at 10:10:31 AM PDT

      [ Parent ]

      •  Source? (none / 0)

        Link?

        Running against Herb "WIRETAP" Kohl in 2012. $1/year. Cash preferred.
        Masel4Senate 1214 E. Mifflin, Madison, WI 53703

        by ben masel on Mon Sep 13, 2004 at 10:20:13 AM PDT

        [ Parent ]

        •  Here ya go: (none / 1)

          This was a Democratic-run survey, but the results are rather overwhelming.

          "The ten states surveyed include: Arizona, Florida, Michigan, Missouri, New Mexico,
          Ohio, Pennsylvania, South Dakota, West Virginia, and Wisconsin. CFA and EFSGV
          surveyed public opinion about renewing and strengthening the ban among likely voters
          by gender, gun ownership, military affiliation, NRA support and union household
          membership. In four states (Missouri, Ohio, South Dakota, and West Virginia), a
          NASCAR survey question was added.

          The study includes general findings by state as well as support among key
          demographics. Significant findings include:

          * Overall, a substantial majority of likely voters supports renewing and strengthening
          the federal assault weapons4 ban.

          * Midwestern states support renewing the assault weapons ban only slightly more
          than Southwestern states. Midwestern states (OH, WI, MI, and MO) averaged 72%
          support for renewing the ban. Southwestern states (AZ and NM) averaged 67%
          support

          * Rural states traditionally seen as very conservative on "gun control" strongly favor
          renewing the ban. 68% of both South Dakota and West Virginia voters support
          renewing the ban.

          * Majorities of gun owners in all but two states favor renewing the ban. Only Missouri
          and Ohio had slightly less than 50% of support among gun owners and NRA
          supporters.

          * In nine of ten states surveyed, union households support renewing the ban by at
          least 60% (excluding South Dakota because the sample was too small to calculate).
          In Pennsylvania, 80% of union households support renewing the ban, and 73%
          support strengthening it.

          * At least 60% of current and former military and military families support renewing the
          ban in all states surveyed. In Wisconsin, more than three-fourths (77%) of current
          and former military and military families support renewing the ban.

          * More than six out of 10 women support renewing the ban in all states surveyed.
          Eighty percent of women in Pennsylvania, and 78% of women in Ohio, support
          renewing the ban.

          * More than 60% of NASCAR fans support renewing the ban in Ohio (64%), South
          Dakota (63%), and West Virginia (64%). Only Missouri NASCAR fans surveyed just
          below half (49%) in support of renewing the ban."

          Full report

          by sarcaustic on Mon Sep 13, 2004 at 12:54:32 PM PDT

          [ Parent ]

      •  It's the voting booths that matter (none / 1)

        People may like the idea of an AWB, but they don't rally around it. A Washington march for abortion rights drew hundreds of thousands this year. A Washington march for gun control drew maybe a thousand this year.

        The anti-gun control lobby get their people to vote. This is the #1 priority of many voters and if you cross them, they will make you pay. It's no coincedence that Democrats lost the House after they passed AWB. Nancy Pelosi has stayed far away from gun control since taking over as House Minority Leader because she sat down and listened to all of the red and swing state reps who told her that gun control is a disastrous issue for Democrats.

        I hate the NRA, and I loathe LaPierre. That organization is not "moderate" and it has instilled a hideous militia paranoia in many members (it is also a huge whore for the GOP). But the bottom line is that gun control is not a winning issue for Democrats, and should be shied away from. I personally feel that the only other issues that even comes close to gun rights for many Americans is abortion. Even gay rights is not as big a deal as "they're going to take away my gun!!!"

        by JamesB3 on Mon Sep 13, 2004 at 10:26:52 AM PDT

        [ Parent ]

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