Fox Host Confronts Abbott With Poll Showing Large Majority Want Gun Laws

Authored by newsweek.com and submitted by OkayButFoRealz

Fox News host Shannon Bream pressed Texas Governor Greg Abbott about whether he would consider support for several gun safety measures backed by a wide majority of Americans after a mass shooting in Texas on Saturday killed multiple people.

A mass shooting at Allen Premium Outlets in Allen, Texas, on Saturday afternoon left at least nine people, including the suspected shooter, dead. It is the latest in a string of mass shootings to occur across the United States. There have been at least 199 mass shootings so far in 2023, according to the Gun Violence Archive. The shooting again renewed calls for stronger gun laws in the U.S., reigniting debate about which policies will successfully reduce gun violence.

Abbott appeared on Fox News Sunday, just one day after the shooting. During that appearance, Bream confronted him with a recent poll showing widespread support for several policies advocates say would lessen gun violence across the country.

The poll found 87 percent of Americans support implementing background checks for those seeking to purchase guns. Eighty-one percent of respondents support both enforcing gun laws already in the books and raising the minimum age to purchase a gun to 21. Another 80 percent supported requiring mental health checks to purchase a gun as well as "red flag laws" that allow people to report individuals believed to be too dangerous to own a firearm.

Texas Governor Greg Abbott is seen speaking during a press conference in Austin, Texas, on January 31. Abbott appeared on Fox News Sunday where host Shannon Bream pressed him if he would consider gun control policies for which a recent poll found widespread support. Brandon Bell/Getty Images

It also found that 77 percent of Americans support requiring a 30-day waiting period when purchasing a gun and 61 percent said they agree with a full ban on assault weapons. Meanwhile, 45 percent support more citizens carrying guns as a means to support gun violence. The poll was conducted among registered voters from April 21 to 24.

When asked about the new poll, Abbott said state lawmakers have been working on a number of policies aimed at reducing gun violence, including passing laws to ensure criminals cannot obtain firearms and increases in penalties for criminals in possession of guns.

However, the governor pointed to mental health investment as the long-term solution to reducing gun violence, highlighting that Texas has invested $25 billion to address mental health in the state.

"One thing that we can observe, very easily, is that there has been a dramatic increase in the amount of anger and violence that's taken place in America," Abbott said. "What Texas is doing in a big time way-we are working to address that anger and violence by going to its root cause, which is addressing the mental health problems before it."

Newsweek reached out to Abbott's office for comment via email.

Gun control advocates have long argued the number of mass shootings, which occur frequently in the U.S., would be lowered by implementing stronger gun control laws.

Gun rights advocates, however, say gun control policies would violate the Second Amendment, which says, "A well regulated Militia, being necessary to the security of a free State, the right of the people to keep and bear Arms, shall not be infringed." They point to policies increasing security measures and mental health to reduce gun violence.

readerf52 on May 7th, 2023 at 21:00 UTC »

The journalist asking the question should have pointed out that over 72% of Texans support some forms of gun control. Those are his constituents.

But they keep voting people who do nothing to insure their safety. It’s really time to stop taking polls and go to the polls and vote those people out of a job.

mtarascio on May 7th, 2023 at 20:09 UTC »

Oh wow, a planned softball to generate this exact article to make the reaction seem reasonable.

Edit: Here you go -

When asked about the new poll, Abbott said state lawmakers have been working on a number of policies aimed at reducing gun violence, including passing laws to ensure criminals cannot obtain firearms and increases in penalties for criminals in possession of guns.

However, the governor pointed to mental health investment as the long-term solution to reducing gun violence, highlighting that Texas has invested $25 billion to address mental health in the state.

Oh look, talking points that are inane.

2_Spicy_2_Impeach on May 7th, 2023 at 20:00 UTC »

When asked about the new poll, Abbott said state lawmakers have been working on a number of policies aimed at reducing gun violence, including passing laws to ensure criminals cannot obtain firearms and increases in penalties for criminals in possession of guns.

So nothing?