Most Virginians want tighter gun laws

NEWPORT NEWS, Va., Oct. 18 (UPI) -- Most Virginians say they want required criminal background checks on those who buy guns from unlicensed dealers, a survey found.

The survey, conducted by the Judy Ford Wason Center for Public Policy at Christopher Newport University in Newport News, also found a majority said they prefer a ban on concealed weapons in restaurants serving alcohol, The (Norfolk) Virginian-Pilot reported Sunday.

The survey showed 80 percent of those likely to vote said they wanted a change in state law so it requires criminal background checks on people before they could buy a gun from an unlicensed dealer at a firearms show.

Almost 70 percent of those surveyed said they wanted to keep intact a state law prohibiting restaurants that sell alcohol from serving patrons with concealed weapons.

The gun-show loophole has been a controversial matter in the governor's race this year.

State Sen. Creigh Deeds, the Democratic candidate, lost the support of the National Rifle Association because he favors closing the loophole.

The Republican candidate, Bob McDonnell, who opposes changing the law, picked up the NRA's support.

The survey, conducted Oct. 8-13 on an undisclosed number of participants, has a margin of error of plus or minus 4.4 percentage points.