The 67 million Americans who hunt, shoot and fish are preparing to vote in record numbers in November, potentially giving them the key to the election.
A new survey provided to Secrets shows that 94 percent of anglers and 92 percent of shooters are planning to vote, and picking someone who is friendly to their hobbies is a top priority.
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“Hunting, sport shooting and recreational fishing are activities that participants are most often extremely passionate about; so much so that it has a direct impact on how they vote,” says Rob Southwick, president of Southwick Associates, which conducted the surveys. “Few sportsmen are willing to support a candidate who doesn’t support positions that are friendly to hunting, shooting and fishing, regardless of where they may stand on other issues,” he added.
He found that a candidate’s support for sportfishing was key to 72 percent, while nearly 96 percent said that a candidate’s position on hunting will impact their vote.
That would suggest strong support for Republican Donald Trump, who has twice appeared before the National Rifle Association to brag about his family’s tradition of hunting. Hillary Clinton, meanwhile, opposes semi-automatic “assault weapons,” like the AR platforms that are now the top selling sport and hunting rifle in America.
But don’t count her out. Clinton learned to fly fishing during a presidential vacation to Wyoming in the 1990s and has stuck with it, even hooking a rainbow trout.
Paul Bedard, the Washington Examiner’s “Washington Secrets” columnist, can be contacted at [email protected]
