Vanderbilt poll shows both bipartisan support and polarization on gun issues
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WKRN) — Tennessee voters show consistent bipartisan agreement on some gun legislation and gun reform issues across the state, though there are still significantly polarized opinions as well, the latest Vanderbilt poll shows.
The semiannual survey released its latest round of polling, showing cross-party support for “modest” gun control efforts as well as polarized opinions on allowing teachers to go armed in schools.
“There continues to be bipartisan support for modest gun control in the state beyond the policies that the state legislature has decided to enact,” said Vanderbilt Poll Co-Director Josh Clinton. “While allowing teachers to carry weapons is an area where opinion is very much divided, there are other policies we asked about receiving strong bipartisan support that were left on the table—including restricting access to individuals with a significant risk of harming themselves or others.”
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According to the poll, 76% of Tennesseans are in favor of laws that temporarily restrict access to guns for individuals who are at high risk of harming themselves or others, in order to reduce the risk of gun-related violence. Democrats are overwhelmingly in favor—90%—of these types of laws, with a majority of non-MAGA Republicans—75%—63% of Independents and 64% of MAGA Republicans, the poll showed.
Across all political affiliations, 81% of women strongly agree with these measures, compared with 70% of men.
Where political parties showed clear divides were on allowing public school teachers and school staff to carry concealed handguns. Overall, the split was 47% in support and 47% opposed. MAGA Republicans (77%) and non-MAGA Republicans (71%) skewed heavily in favor of the option of armed teachers, per the poll, while only 11% of Democrats and 47% of Independents were in favor.
Another display of political party divide on gun issues came from allowing for the open carry of long guns such as hunting rifles.
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Current Tennessee law allows individuals to carry a handgun openly or concealed without a permit, but 71% of voters overall do not favor extending the law to include long guns. However, there is a significant party split, with 48% of MAGA Republicans in favor but only 2% of Democrats. There is also a 20-point gap between the support of women (17%) and men (37%).
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