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Scott Rasmussen's Number of the Day for June 26, 2017

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By Scott Rasmussen

The Number of the Day columns published on Ballotpedia reflect the views of the author.

June 26, 2017: Nearly three out of four Americans (72 percent) have fired a gun at some point in their lives. That figure includes a majority (55 percent) of those who have never owned a gun.

The Pew Research Center recently released a fascinating overview of gun ownership in the U.S.:[1]

  • 59 percent of Americans have friends who own guns, 48 percent grew up in a household with guns, and 42 percent currently live in a household with guns.
  • The biggest reason people own guns is for protection, a reason 67 percent of gun owners cite as important.
  • 46 percent of those living in rural areas own a gun along with 28 percent of those in suburbs and 19 percent in urban areas.
  • 44 percent of Republicans and Republican-leaning independents own guns. Among Democrats and Democratic leaners, that figure falls to 20 percent.
  • 74 percent of gun owners see the right to own a gun as essential to their freedom.
  • 44 percent of Americans know someone who has been shot (accidentally or otherwise). Gun owners are more likely than others to know a person who has been shot.
  • If more Americans owned guns, 35 percent believe it would lead to more crime, 33 percent less crime, and 32 percent think it would make no difference.

Each weekday, Scott Rasmussen’s Number of the Day explores interesting and newsworthy topics at the intersection of culture, politics, and technology.

  • To see other recent numbers, check out the archive.

Scott Rasmussen’s Number of the Day is published by Ballotpedia weekdays at 8:00 a.m. Eastern. Click here to check out the latest update.

The Number of the Day is broadcast on local stations across the country. An archive of these broadcasts can be found here.

Columns published on Ballotpedia reflect the views of the author.

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