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New WSJ poll show support for law protecting unborn babies beginning at the end of 15 weeks

Apr 1, 2022

By Dave Andrusko

As readers of NRL News Today know, states are actively trying to pass laws that protect unborn children at the end of the 15th week. Arizona, Louisiana, and Mississippi have enacted the legislation. Two others are either waiting for their pro-life governor to sign the bill (Florida) or will override the expected veto (Kentucky).

A Wall Street Journal poll released today offers great news for pro-lifers in general, and for this approach in particular. Here’s the lead from Catherine Lucey’s story

WASHINGTON—More American voters favor the idea of a 15-week abortion ban than oppose it, according to the latest Wall Street Journal poll, as the Supreme Court prepares to issue a ruling that could alter the nation’s abortion landscape.

With lawmakers in several states pushing forward with bills that would ban abortion after 15 weeks of pregnancy, 48% of voters said they would strongly or somewhat favor such restrictions, with exemptions to protect the life of the mother, while 43% were in opposition.

[The Journal surveyed 1,500 voters from March 2-7.]

This comes as no surprise to our Movement. Last November, for example, Marquette asked respondents

if they would favor or oppose a ruling to “uphold a state law that (except in cases of medical emergencies or fetal abnormalities) bans abortions after the 15th week of pregnancy” or if they haven’t heard enough about this to have an opinion. Thirty-seven percent favor a decision upholding such a law, while 32% would oppose such a ruling and 30% say they haven’t heard enough. In September, 40% favored upholding such a law, 34% opposed such a law, and 27% said they hadn’t heard enough

As you can see, approval is consistent: +5, +5, and +6.

According to David Crary, a June 2021 poll from the Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research found that “65% said abortion should usually be illegal in the second and 80% said that about the third trimester.”

What about Texas’ “Heartbeat” law, which is designed to protect unborn children whose hearts have begun to beat usually around the 6th week? Contrary to the flood of negative media attention, 55% of Texans support S.B.8. Moreover, there was not only major support among women and men, Latino and white respondents, it also gathered strong support among Independents and nearly 4 in ten Democrats!

Good news! Very good news.

Categories: Polling
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