Pro-choice sentiment is now the highest Gallup has measured since 1995 when it was 56% — the only other time it has been at the current level or higher — while the 39% identifying as “pro-life” is the lowest since 1996.
Similarly, for the first time in Gallup’s trend on the moral acceptability of abortion, originating in 2001, a majority of Americans (52%) consider abortion morally acceptable, while a record-low 38% call it morally wrong.
Separately, Gallup asks Americans if abortion should be legal under any circumstances, legal only under certain circumstances or illegal in all circumstances. Those who say it should be legal only under certain circumstances are then asked whether they would prefer it to be legal in most or only a few circumstances.
The latest data show Americans are less likely than a year ago to say abortion should be illegal in all circumstances, falling six points to 13%, the lowest Gallup has recorded for this position since 1995. At the same time, the 35% wanting it legal under any circumstances is the highest in Gallup’s trend by one point, after increasing slightly each of the past three years.
The combined percentage opting for one of these more supportive positions is now 53%, up from 45% a year ago. Meanwhile, the combined percentage favoring more restrictive policies has fallen from 52% to 45%.
This issue should be right at the top of the Democrats’ agenda this fall. Guns, abortion and democracy should be the message. But I don’t know if they’re willing to meet the GOP on the culture war battlefield. It would be a first if they did.