In a poll taken just a week after the latest shooting at Virginia Tech, an overwhelming majority of Virginians -- 75 percent -- said guns should be banned on college campuses, WAMU reported.
The Quinnipiac University poll of 1,135 Virginia residents also found a strong majority (62 percent) oppose lifting the one-month cooling off period required for a handgun purchase, while about half of those polled said someone in their home owns a gun.
But on other issues in the wide-ranging poll, residents were split.
"Virginia is likely up for some contentious fights in the upcoming legislative session, if the results of a recent poll of Virginia voters are any indication," said the WAMU report.
In addition to gun rights, the poll also found:
-- 58 percent oppose "personhood" legislation
-- Residents are evenly split on uranium mining in Virginia, with 41 percent in favor and 41 percent opposed.
-- State officials had mostly favorable ratings, with Gov. Bob McDonnell seeing a 53 percent approval rating.
* It doesn't look like Occupy D.C. will be leaving its camps for Christmas, reports the Huffington Post. One group is holding a Christmas Eve party, while another has decorated its camp with a Christmas tree and a sign reading "Seasons Greetings from Occupy." And the one remaining hunger striker, Adrian Parsons, says he'll continue to abstain on Christmas.
* A majority of those who spoke at D.C. community meetings on online gambling are in favor of the iGaming program, according to a D.C. Lottery report. "The lottery plans to offer four games when, and if, iGaming is implemented," the Washington Times reported.
* Maryland employers added 2,000 jobs in November, and the state saw its unemployment rate drop to 6.9 percent, according to a piece in the Gazette. “It’s generally a nice trend going on here,” an economist told the paper.
* Don't plan on seeing Michele Bachmann, Jon Huntsman or Rick Santorum on the Republican primary ballot in Virginia in March. The candidates failed to meet the state's requirements to get their names listed, Politico reports. But Newt Gingrich, who spent two days campaigning in Virginia this week, did qualify in the end.
* A Maryland redistricting plan has raised concerns among people in Montgomery County that minority voters won't get fair representation, the Gazette reports. Gov. Martin O'Malley will present his official proposal for legislative boundaries to the General Assembly next month.
* D.C. Mayor Vincent Gray may be facing some low poll numbers, but an op-ed in the Washington Blade sa ys the leader has had a good first year. "What is clear is that the city is functioning well and economic development is stronger than ever," wrote Peter Rosenstein.
