(CNN) Sen. Marco Rubio is defending his stance against a ban on semiautomatic rifles -- claiming that the position is "well outside" mainstream opinion -- after he signaled an openness to limited gun control measures at a CNN town hall on school shootings. "Banning all semi-auto weapons may have been popular with the audience at #CNNTownHall, but it is a position well outside the mainstream," the Florida Republican tweeted early Thursday morning. Wonder if media will ask politicians demanding #GunControl if they support popular sentiment at #CNNTownHall for ban of all semi-auto rifle? https://t.co/FAPoBFwE6I — Marco Rubio (@marcorubio) February 22, 2018Polls, however, show widespread support for bans on certain guns. And a poll conducted by Pew in June 2017 found that 68% support banning assault-style weapons.

Source: CNN February 22, 2018 15:42 UTC