A new CNN poll conducted by SSRS found that nearly two years after the Supreme Court decision that overturned Roe v. Wade, Americans remain opposed to the ruling. However, the survey also found that the country is divided on how best to handle abortion laws, with roughly half of US adults wanting federal politicians to work to protect abortion access nationally, while others believe abortion laws should be left to the states or support nationwide restrictions.
About two-thirds of Americans oppose the Supreme Court decision that women do not have a federal constitutional right to an abortion, with 69% wanting federal politicians to pass laws ensuring national abortion access. On the other hand, those who support the ruling believe abortion laws should be left up to the states, with just 29% in favor of further restrictions nationwide. The survey also found that new national restrictions are supported by only about a quarter of Republicans, White Evangelical Christians, and conservatives.
The poll highlighted the ongoing state-level skirmishes over abortion laws following the overturn of Roe, with political fights impacting residents’ access to abortion. President Joe Biden has made support for abortion rights a focal point of his presidential campaign, while former President Donald Trump has distanced himself from GOP-led pushes for a national ban, stating that abortion regulations should be left to the states. The role of abortion policy is shaping up to be an election issue, with some states voting on measures to establish new protections for abortion.
Despite the public consensus against overturning Roe, polling found mixed views on the role of abortion policy in voters’ decisions. About one-quarter of registered voters say they would only support a candidate who shares their views on abortion, with most considering it one of many important factors when voting or not a major issue. Among those who disapprove of the Dobbs decision, a majority currently backs Biden over Trump, regardless of their stance on abortion as a deciding factor in voting.
President Biden’s approval rating for handling abortion policy stands at 42%, similar to his overall job approval. Most Americans believe Biden will work towards enacting national laws ensuring access to abortion if reelected, while many expect Trump to leave abortion laws up to the states. The poll also found that Democrats are more likely than Republicans to expect Trump to work towards restricting abortion nationwide, highlighting partisan divides on the issue. Abortion is considered a top issue for some voters, particularly among self-described liberals and certain demographics likely to be a focus for the Biden campaign.
Additionally, the poll found an increase in the number of Americans who view a woman’s right to use contraception as a threatened right likely to be overturned. Women are more likely than men to view this right as threatened, with one-third of Americans nationally expressing concern. The poll was conducted by SSRS from April 18-23 among a random national sample of adults and registered voters, with a margin of sampling error of plus or minus 3.4 percentage points for the full sample and plus or minus 3.8 points for registered voters.
