Poll: Latinos Overwhelmingly Support Gun Reform Measures, Abortion Access
Decisive majorities of Latinos in battleground states express support for a range of policies to reduce gun violence in the United States and are deeply concerned about the possibility of a Supreme Court decision to overturn Roe v. Wade according to poll numbers released today by Voto Latino. The poll, conducted by Change Research, surveyed 1,033 registered Hispanic and Latino voters in the seven key battleground states of Texas, Arizona, Nevada, Florida, Georgia, North Carolina, and Pennsylvania.
“At a time when mass shootings and attacks on abortion access are front and center in our national politics, Latino voters are looking for candidates who support common sense gun policy as well as reproductive rights,” said Maria Teresa Kumar, President and CEO of Voto Latino. “These issues aren’t liabilities for progressive candidates looking for Latino support–they’re a major selling point. In battleground states, Latino voters stand squarely behind Democratic policies on these flashpoint issues.”
According to the poll results: 71% of Latinos say they worry “a lot” or “some” about their “personal safety from mass shootings in public places.” Large majorities of Latinos support many common sense gun laws. An overwhelming 78% of Latinos agree that “common sense gun safety measures can be passed while still respecting the Second Amendment rights of responsible gun owners” and 57% strongly agree with that. Various policy propositions.
“For Latino voters, concern about gun violence is visceral,” said Kumar. “They’re worried about mass shootings in their own lives, and a majority of Democrats, independents and Republicans alike say they’d be more likely to support a candidate who supports gun reform legislation.”
With regard to abortion care, more than two-thirds of Latinos support access to abortion care in most or all cases (41% legal in all cases, 27% legal in most cases) and only 10% believe abortion should be illegal in all cases. Three-in-four Latinos are paying attention to reports of the leaked draft of the U.S. Supreme Court opinion that indicates the conservative majority intends to overturn Roe v. Wade this year. Nearly two-thirds (64%) of Latinos are more motivated to vote in November as a result of this opinion and 52% are much more motivated.
“It’s time to put to rest the myth that Latinos oppose abortion access,” said Kumar. “The truth is that a strong majority of Latino voters want to support candidates who support an individual’s right to take control of their own bodies.”
You can see the full polling memo here.
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Voto Latino is a grassroots political organization focused on educating and empowering a new generation of Latinx voters, as well as creating a more robust and inclusive democracy. Through innovative digital campaigns, culturally relevant programs and authentic voices, we shepherd the Latinx community towards the full realization of its political power.