In the aftermath of the Supreme Court overturning Roe v. Wade, 55% of voters say abortion is a "very important" issue to consider when deciding how to they will vote in November's midterms, up from 46% in February, according to a new poll from the Kaiser Family Foundation.
The big picture: While abortion is a motivating issue for some voter groups, it's eclipsed by inflation, including rising gas prices, which 74% of respondents say is "very important."
Yes, but: "Lower-turnout midterm elections can be a game of inches, and abortion could make a difference, especially if gas prices continue to fall,” KFF President and CEO Drew Altman said.
- “It’s motivating a lot of younger women to vote, and most Democrats, half of independents and even some Republicans plan to vote for candidates who support abortion access.”
By the numbers: 77% of Democratic voters said they considered abortion to be a "very important" issue, an increase from 50% in February.
- For Democratic women, the number increases to 82% post-Roe, from 55% in February. Approximately three in four (73%) women voters of reproductive age, 18-49, say abortion is a "very important" issue.
- The number has decreased for Republican women: 60% in February said abortion access was "very important, and now 44% say the same.
Other numbers: Around 54% of voters said the demise of Roe has made them "more likely" to consider a candidate's stance on abortion, while 3% it has made them "less likely" to do so.
- The KFF survey also found that 61% of the public says they want their state to protect abortion access, while 25% want their state to ban it.
Worth noting: 43% of all voters said the ruling made them "more motivated" to vote, including 72% of Democrats and 56% of independents — an important number to consider as Democrats face the threat of losing both houses of Congress this fall.
Methodology: This KFF Poll was conducted July 7-17 in English and Spanish. This poll is based on a nationally representative sample of 1,847 U.S. adults.
- The margin of sampling error is ±4 percentage points for the full sample.
