Americans Under 30 Have Rapidly Turned Against Gun Control Laws, Poll Finds

Fifty percent of Americans overall say they view the enacting of new anti-gun violence laws and firearm restrictions as a top legislative priority. But among young Americans under 30, there was a 20 percent drop in support since 2018.

A new ABC News/Washington Post poll released Tuesday from among more than 1,000 U.S. adults found that Americans overall are less supportive of new gun control legislations than they were just three years ago. People between the ages of 18-29 saw the sharpest decline in backing for new weapons laws, with fewer than half now saying new legislation is needed to reduce the risk of future mass shootings or to block "red flag" buyers.

In April 2018, the last time the ABC/Washington Post survey was conducted on this issue, 65 percent of these young Americans said they support gun control laws. That percentage is now 45.

Massive ideological divides have remained between Democrats and Republicans, with three-quarters of Republicans saying they prioritize the protection of their right to own firearms. And on the other end of the spectrum, 83 percent of Democrats and self-identified liberals said they want President Joe Biden to prioritize more gun control laws.

The preference for enacting new gun laws aimed at reducing firearm violence has dropped by 7 percent overall since the last corresponding survey was conducted in April 2018. Percentage drops were seen in nearly every demographic divide. In that time period, 20 percent of Hispanics pulled back from supporting new gun laws, falling to 50 percent. Seventeen percent of rural Americans now said they want no new gun restrictions, down 17 points to 30 percent.