Gun Debate Tops Public Interest % following very closely April 4-7
As Congress returns to Washington to resume work on gun control and immigration legislation, the public is paying far closer attention to news about the gun control debate than news about the debate over immigration policy.
A national survey by the Pew Research Center, conducted April 4-7 among 1,003 adults, finds 37% say they are following the debate over gun control very closely. That compares with just 23% who say they are very closely following news about debate over immigration policy. Among this week’s stories, only military threats made by North Korea and its plan to restart a nuclear reactor drew about as much interest (36% very closely).
In recent weeks, no story has received more public attention than the debate over gun control. Other closely followed stories since mid-March have been news about the economy (30% very closely), news about automatic federal spending cuts (24%) and discussions about how to address the federal budget deficit and national debt (also 24%).
Since the start of the year, roughly four-in-ten have followed news about the gun control debate very closely on four of five surveys on which it was included. By contrast, the debate over immigration policy has drawn very close interest from 23% of the public both times it was included (Jan. 31-Feb. 3 and April 4-7).
Gun Debate Tops Public Interest  | % following very closely  | April 4-7  | Gun control debate  | 37  | North Korea threats  | 36  | Immigration debate  | 23  | NCAA basketball  | 13  | Atlanta school scandal  | 11  | March 28-31  | U.S. economy  | 30  | Federal spending cuts  | 24  | Gay marriage cases  | 22  | State & local budgets  | 16  | Violence in Syria  | 13  | March 14-17  | U.S. economy  | 28  | Debt debate  | 24  | Selection of Pope  | 21  | Afghanistan  | 16  | PEW RESEARCH CENTER April 4-7, 2013, 