Richard Moody is reporting for Columbia-Greene Media the majority of voters in the 19th Congressional District support the imposition of several gun control measures, according to a new poll commissioned by the Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence and the America Federation of Teachers. According to survey of likely voters in the district, 64 percent said they would likely support a candidate who backs an assault weapon ban, background checks and raising the age for legal gun ownership. Broken down by party, 87 percent of Democrats, 40 percent of Republicans and 64 percent of Independent voters expressed support for those restrictions and regulations on gun ownership. Numbers were closer on the subject of a national ban on the sale of assault weapons and high-capacity ammunition magazines, with 57 percent of respondents expressing support and 32 percent opposing a ban. Sixty-one percent said they support legislation that would allow police and family to ask a court to remove firearms from, and ban the sale of firearms to someone believed to be a danger to themselves and others. And 63 percent favor imposing increased gun safety measures over arming teachers and staff in schools, and allowing private citizens to have concealed weapons in schools, which was supported by 26 percent of those polled. Seventy-two percent said the better use for federal school funding is through mental health programs, drug and violence prevention services, and health and physical education, while 17 percent said giving federal money to gun manufacturers to provide schools the opportunity to arm teachers is better. The Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence and the Brady Center to Prevent Gun Violence are nonprofit organizations that advocate for gun control and against gun violence. The organization was founded in 1974, as the National Council to Control Handguns. The Brady Campaign's current goal is to cut gun deaths in half by 2025. A link to the full poll can be found on the WGXC Newsroom page. Read the full story at HudsonValley360 [dot] com.