Gun Violence In US: Amid Terrorism Worries, More Americans Fear Being Victim Of Firearms, Poll Finds

More Americans are more worried about being a victim of gun violence than a victim of terrorism, according to a McClatchy/Marist poll released Tuesday. Of the Americans surveyed, 63 percent said they feared they or someone they know would die as a result of gun violence, compared with the 29 percent who said they register terrorist attacks as more of a fear.

The poll also shows a split between Republican and Democrats as to what they perceive as a bigger threat. Some 77 percent of Democrats surveyed viewed guns as a bigger fear over terrorism, while Republicans saw terrorism as a bigger threat by 55-45. Tea party supporters were also skewed more toward viewing terrorism as a bigger threat by a 57-37 percent margin.

U.S. voters are expected to consider domestic issues, such as the economy and healthcare, over foreign issues in the 2016 election. This contrasts with the years following the 9/11 terrorist attacks, during which voters looked much more prominently at foreign issues, the poll said.

The poll comes amid increased scrutiny over gun violence across the country and national disagreement over gun laws. According to a Washington Post/ABC News poll from October, 46 percent of people surveyed efforts to reduce gun violence should be a bigger priority over protecting the rights to own guns. Some 47 percent of people said it was more important to protect the right to own guns.

President Barack Obama has called for tougher gun laws to be implemented across the nation. Many police leaders have also called for universal background checks on gun buyers as well.

“Far too many states allow individuals to acquire a gun without any questions being asked at all. Is this what we want in our society?" Jim Johnson, chief of police of Baltimore County, said at a conference in October according to the Chicago Tribune.