Gun Ownership: The Bridge Between Rural and Urban Voters in 2020

Mark R. Joslyn

Social Science Quarterly, 2025, vol. 106, issue 3

Abstract: Objective This article examines whether gun ownership can mitigate the impact of place‐based identities on voter choice. Methods The analysis is conducted using 2020 American National Election Studies data. Multivariate logistic regressions investigate the direct effects of gun ownership, place of residence—rural to urban, and the interaction between the two variables on voter choice. Results As in previous studies, the main effects of gun ownership and place of residence are significant predictors of voter choice. Importantly, their interaction shows that gun ownership is sufficiently robust to bridge the rural–urban divide, thereby connecting voters with fundamentally different lived experiences. Gun owners in rural areas and large cities alike preferred Trump to Biden by wide margins. Conclusion Results stand in sharp contrast to the standard narratives about guns that emphasize division and polarization. Rather, in 2020, gun ownership overcame substantial geographical divisions in voter choice and cultivated a shared political preference.

Date: 2025
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