Virginia voters are delivering a clear message on guns and crime as they call for leaders to stop targeting law-abiding citizens and focus on punishing offenders.
New polling from Quantus Insights shows a politically dissatisfied electorate that nevertheless feels largely safe in their communities and strongly supports Second Amendment protections.
Spanberger’s Weak Approval Numbers
Gov. Abigail Spanberger’s (D-VA) approval rating stands at 32%, with 64% disapproving.
The partisan divide is sharp.
Among Republicans, 88.1% disapprove of the governor. Independents are not far behind at 80.7% disapproval.
Democrats break the other way, with 63.8% approving of her performance.
Despite dissatisfaction with state leadership, most Virginians report feeling safe where they live.
Women report feeling safe at 72.9%, and men at 71.0%.
Democrats express the highest level of security at 82.8%, while Independents (64.7%) and Republicans (66.7%) remain mostly positive but less emphatic.
Strong Support for the Second Amendment
The poll finds broad agreement that the Second Amendment protects an individual right to own a firearm.
Support crosses party lines:
- 92.0% of Republicans agree.
- 90.8% of Independents agree.
- 71.2% of Democrats agree.
By gender, 86.0% of men and 82.2% of women affirm the individual right to gun ownership.
Support narrows somewhat on the right to carry a firearm for self-defense outside the home, but remains substantial.
82.6% of Republicans agree.
75.8% of Independents agree.
Democrats are split: 39.7% agree, while 55.3% disagree.
Men support carry rights at 71.2%, compared with 58.9% of women.
Voters Blame Criminals, Not Guns
Perhaps the most decisive finding centers on responsibility for gun violence.
Across party lines, voters overwhelmingly say offenders, not firearms, are responsible.
“The criminal” is responsible, say:
- 95.7% of Republicans
- 94.1% of Independents
- 82.3% of Democrats
By gender, 91.1% of men and 89.5% of women agree.
Majorities also say criminals pose a greater threat than firearms themselves.
91.8% of Republicans agree.
90.1% of Independents agree.
Democrats are more divided, with 52.7% agreeing.
Women are more likely than men to say firearms are inherently dangerous, 25.0% compared to 15.5%.
Tougher Sentencing Over New Gun Laws
When asked what would most effectively reduce crime, voters favored enforcement over regulation.
Judges delivering tougher sentences was the top choice:
- 46.9% of Republicans selected it.
- 48.9% of Independents selected it.
- 21.8% of Democrats selected it.
Prosecuting existing laws also drew significant support, with 33.1% of Republicans and 24.6% of Independents backing that option.
By contrast, support for “more laws regulating firearms” was concentrated among Democrats at 33.3%.
Just 7.3% of Independents and 5.0% of Republicans favored additional gun regulations.
Men leaned more heavily toward sentencing and prosecution, while women showed somewhat greater openness to new gun laws.
A Clear Priority for Enforcement
The results point to a consistent theme: Virginia voters want consequences for criminals prioritized over expanded firearm restrictions.
With Gov. Spanberger’s approval underwater at 32%, the poll suggests that further tightening of gun laws could face significant resistance from an electorate that appears firmly aligned with Second Amendment protections and tougher enforcement.
READ MORE – Canadian Citizens Face Prison for Failing to Comply with ‘Voluntary’ Gun Buyback Scheme
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