“Thoughts and Prayers”: The (Non) Effect of Partisan Responses to Mass Shootings on Public Opinion

Experts consider gun violence a public health crisis in the United States. Its increasing magnitude has pressured some Republican lawmakers to reconsider their responses to these events, moving away from sending condolences of "thoughts and prayers" to the victims and moving towards alternative, policy-oriented rhetoric. Ample literature in political science finds that how politicians speak about issues can shape voters' viewpoints on them. Could a Republican move away from "thoughts and prayers" rhetoric soften the cleavage on second amendment rights and lead to gun reform? Findings from a recent survey experiment suggest otherwise. Different rhetoric by Republican politicians did not move public opinion on firearm reform. There continues to be, however, substantial baseline support for several policies that would likely reduce gun violence. We comment on the implications of these findings on the politics of firearm policy reform in America.