Poll shows 54 percent view NRA favorably

• Tweet

WASHINGTON, Dec. 28 (UPI) -- A Gallup poll shows that more Americans have a favorable view of the National Rifle Association than unfavorable.

Politico said the poll came at the same time the NRA proposed to have an armed guard in every school in response to the Newtown, Conn., massacre, instead of wide-sweeping gun regulation.

Fifty-four percent of Americans reported a favorable opinion of the NRA, compared to 38 percent reporting an unfavorable opinion.

Gallup said opinions of the NRA have fluctuated since they were first measured in 1993, from a low of 42 percent favorable in 1995 to a high of 60 percent in 2005.

Gallup said the recent poll showed that favorable opinions are much higher among those who report having a gun in the household, with Republicans more likely to own guns.

Republicans were also more likely to have a favorable opinion of the NRA than Democrats, with more than eight in 10 Republicans reporting a favorable opinion compared to four in 10 Democrats.