Data: Google Trends; Map: Will Chase and Jacque Schrag/Axios
National interest in firearms surged in nearly every congressional district in the U.S. after the May 24 mass shooting at Robb Elementary School in Uvalde, Texas, new Google Trends data shows.
- The deep orange spots on the map above show where search interest was highest.
Driving the news: “Firearms” was the second or third most searched topic in 409 of 435 districts during the week of May 23–30, according to data for our midterms dashboard.
- The week before, "firearms" had cracked third place in only 30 districts, and second place in none. Words like "jobs" and "taxes" typically occupy such spots.
Why it matters: The findings reflect Americans' intense concerns around gun violence and school safety — and how potentially potent the issues could be in this year's elections if public attention holds.
Details: Interest was highest in TX-11, a district neighboring Uvalde and containing part of San Antonio. Seven of the top 10 districts searching “firearms” were in Texas.
