Texans have become more divided on the issue of gun control following the shooting at Santa Fe High School, according to a new poll from Quinnipiac University.
- 49 percent support stricter gun laws.
- 45 percent oppose stricter gun laws.
In April, a few weeks before the shooting took place, a poll showed Texans were more likely to support increased regulations.
- 55 percent supported stricter gun laws.
- 41 percent opposed stricter gun laws.
"The tragedy at the Santa Fe school south of Houston changed few opinions among Texas voters about gun control," Peter Brown, assistant director of the Quinnipiac Poll, said in a statement. "Support for gun control in general is down slightly, while support for background checks for all gun buyers is virtually unchanged."
He added, since the change is slight, it is difficult to tell if it is related to the shooting.
"Most people would say after a tragedy like Santa Fe, if there's going to be a change, that change would favor stricter gun control, and that's not what we found," he said.
"Overall, it is a mild drop," said Ed Scruggs, board vice chairman for Texas Gun Sense, who attributed the change to the state's unique culture. "There is still a significant amount of support for stricter gun laws. The support for background checks for all gun buyers really didn't move at all, which indicates sustaining strength for doing more. If it were a bigger drop, I'd be more worried."
"It's more interesting to look at trends over the next three to four months rather than a snapshot," he added. "But the poll does show there is a continued solid block of folks in support of stricter gun laws."
© 2026 Newsmax. All rights reserved.