Pie chart showing the Gallup poll break-down on support for the Obama plans for stronger gun laws twitter.com/MSmithsonPB/st…

— Mike Smithson (@MSmithsonPB) January 19, 2013

But he’s got a big battle ahead

Tomorrow morning, in private because it is a Sunday, Barack Obama will be sworn in to start his second term in the White House. The big public ceremony takes place on Monday.

He’s already made clear that a key early objective is his plan, announced on Wednesday, for new laws designed to reduce gun violence.

This has become a huge issue in the aftermath of the mass shooting at an elementary school in Newtown, Connecticut eleven days before Christmas.

The proposals include background checks on those wanting to buy weapons and bans on high-capacity ammunition clips.

In telephone polling that took place on Thursday Gallup found that 53% want their member of Congress to vote for the set of laws, with 41%, want them to vote against.

Reaction to the plan is highly partisan and there’s little doubt that Obama has a massive political battle on his hands in the weeks and months ahead.

Ahead of the White House election in November Gallup was producing the least Obama-friendly numbers so the fact that this is coming from that firm is significant. Voters do divide on party lines. Gallup finds Democrats supporting the plans by 82% to 15% while Republicans oppose by 72% to 22%.

Mike Smithson

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