For those who oppose the Supreme Court decision, a quarter (26%) say a main reason is because children have rights, and 22% mention abortion is immoral. Around 1 in 5 (21%) say they oppose Roe vs. Wade because they believe abortion should be legal only in specific situations. Americans who support the decision overwhelmingly explain their reasoning goes back to a woman’s right to choose (71%).
Most Americans prefer a federal law on abortion for all states as opposed to leaving the issue up to the states. Those in the middle or unsure are more divided. Among the pro-life, 54% prefer a national law and 33% would rather leave it to each state. For the pro-abortion rights, 66% prefer a federal law for all states and 22% want each state to determine their own laws. Less than half of other Americans (48%) want a federal law, while 32% prefer individual state laws.
“Despite the many differences in Americans’ beliefs on abortion, there appears to be an innate desire for an unchanging legal standard,” said McConnell. “As the Supreme Court deliberates yet another change to the legal standard, evangelicals are among those who most want Roe v. Wade overturned. They are guided by a more static standard: the belief that the Bible is the highest authority for what they believe.”
A Potential Post-Roe Future
When asked what they want to happen to Roe v. Wade, 40% completely support the decision and want it to remain, and 12% say it’s now the law of the land and should not be overturned. One in 5 Americans (20%) want it overturned and abortion made illegal nationwide, while 12% want it overturned and the laws left up to the states. Another 17% say they’re unsure or don’t have an opinion.
If Roe v. Wade is overturned, Americans are split on what should happen in individual states. More than a third (36%) want more restrictions on abortion, while the same percentage (36%) want to keep things like current federal law. More than 1 in 4 (28%) prefer easier access to abortion than currently exists.
In a post-Roe nation, 8 in 10 Americans (81%) say if a state government restricts abortion, it has a responsibility to increase support and options for women who have unwanted pregnancies. Almost 2 in 3 pro-life individuals (62%) agree.
Similarly, 3 in 4 Americans (74%), including 63% of pro-life Americans, say churches and religious organizations in states where abortion access is restricted after Roe v. Wade is overturned also have a responsibility to do more for women with unwanted pregnancies.
“The majority of Americans did not ask for Roe v. Wade to be overturned, but if it is, there is no national majority for any legislative path whether more or less restrictions or something similar to what has been in place,” said McConnell. “However, if more restrictions are put in place a large majority agrees the church and the state have a moral responsibility to help women with unwanted pregnancies.”
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This article originally appeared here.
