Newly Released Polling Data Points to Solid Support for Concealed Carry Legislation in Key Illinois Senate Districts Held by Democrats

SPRINGFIELD, Ill., March 28, 2011 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The following was released today by the Illinois State Rifle Association (ISRA):

According to a recent survey commissioned by the ISRA, legislation permitting qualified citizens to carry defensive firearms enjoys strong support in key Democrat-controlled districts of the Illinois Senate.

Conducted by We Ask America, the telephone poll queried approximately 1,000 adults in each of four Illinois State Senate districts.  Respondents were asked four questions related to personal safety, self defense, and concealed carry legislation.  Select polling results are as follows:

In the 3rd Senate district, 45.9% of those polled supported concealed carry legislation while 35.3% of those polled opposed such legislation.  The 3rd Senate district seat is currently held by Senator Mattie Hunter (D-Chicago).

In the 14th Senate district, a full 50.6% of those surveyed supported concealed carry legislation while 34% of respondents opposed such legislation.  The 14th Senate district seat is held by Senator Emil Jones III (D-Chicago).

In the 22nd Senate district, support for concealed carry legislation was found to be 47.4% while opposition to such legislation was found to be 35.2%.  The 22nd Senate district is currently held by Senator Mike Noland (D-Elgin).

In the 43rd Senate district, 55% of citizens polled expressed support for concealed carry legislation while 29.3% of those surveyed opposed such legislation.  The 43rd Senate district seat is held by Senator A. J. Wilhelmi (D-Crest Hill).

The survey also revealed that between 83% and 88% of citizens polled believe that they have the right to defend themselves and their families from harm.  In what will certainly be disappointing news for the Chicago Police Department, only 36.2% of respondents from the 3rd Senate district expressed confidence that police can protect them from being robbed or assaulted.  Likewise, only 41.8% of those polled from the 14th Senate district feel that the police are capable of protecting them from harm. All polling results are subject to a +/- 3% margin of error.

Further details about the poll will be made available during a press conference to be held at the Illinois Capitol on Tuesday, March 29th.  Final arrangements for the press conference are pending.

"Personal security is a big issue for so many Illinois citizens," commented ISRA Executive Director Richard Pearson.  "From our polling data, it is clear that a large majority of citizens believe that they have a right to defend themselves and their families from harm.  It is equally clear that a large portion of residents of the senate districts we polled believe that carrying a defensive firearm is a valid way of ensuring that right to self defense."

"We selected these four senate districts for polling because we believe that they serve as a bellwether for both urban and suburban populations on key issues like concealed carry," continued Pearson.  "With support for concealed carry this strong in these four districts, it's a given that concealed carry enjoys solid support across northern Illinois and urban centers south of I-80 as well.  Legislators in such districts would do well to pay attention to what their constituents are telling them about personal safety and the right of self defense."

The ISRA is the state's leading advocate of safe, lawful and responsible firearms ownership.  For more than a century, the ISRA has represented the interests of millions of law-abiding Illinois firearm owners.

WEB SITE: http://www.isra.org

SOURCE Illinois State Rifle Association