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Poll: 9 In 10 Americans Support Background Check For All Gun Sales

By Eyder Peralta

Published February 7, 2013 at 12:16 PM EST

A photo illustration showing a Remington 20-gauge semi-automatic shotgun, a Colt AR-15 semi-automatic rifle, a Colt .45 semi-auto handgun, a Walther PK380 semi-auto handgun and various ammunition clips with a copy of the US Constitution on top of the American flag.

A new Quinnipiac University poll finds Americans overwhelmingly support background checks on all gun sales.

The poll found that 92 percent of Americans support the checks, while 7 percent oppose them.

Quinnipiac also found that 52 percent support stricter gun laws and 56 percent support "a ban on the sale of assault weapons."

Quinnipiac's Assistant Director Peter Brown explains:

"'There is no significant voter opposition to requiring background checks for gun buyers,' said Brown, 'and there is support for banning high volume ammunition clips and assault weapons, with the issue pretty much falling along party lines.

"'The politics of gun policy are also unclear. Despite the huge news media coverage of the issue since the Newtown shooting, only 37 percent of voters are more likely to vote for a congressman who votes to ban sales of assault rifles, while 31 percent are less likely and 30 percent say it would not affect their vote. And it's worth noting that voters narrowly believe that the NRA more represents their views on guns than does President Obama.'"

Now, as The New York Daily News points out, this kind of support isn't new. Other polls this year have shown Americans favor background checks by a large margin.

The Daily News reports that, last year, 12.1 million guns were sold by licensed dealers who ran criminal background checks. While the number sold outside that system is unknown, the advocacy group Mayors Against Illegal Guns puts that number at 6.6 million.