Most Americans Want Supreme Court Nominee to Share Abortion Views

 

Share

0

Most Americans want the next U.S. Supreme Court nominee to share their view on abortion -- but opponents of legal abortion are much more apt to say so than supporters.

With vacancies on the court likely during President Bush's second term in office, 54 percent of Americans in a new ABC News/Washington Post poll say it's very or extremely important to them that the next nominee agrees with their position on abortion. But that includes 64 percent of those generally opposed to legal abortion, compared with 47 percent of those who support legal abortion.

Regardless of their views on abortion, most do think a nominee's position on the issue should be taken into account. Six in 10 say the Senate should not only consider a nominee's background, experience and qualifications, but also his or her views on issues such as abortion, gun control and affirmative action.

During the presidential debates, Bush said in reference to abortion, "I will pick judges who will interpret the Constitution, but I'll have no litmus test."

Nominee's Position on Abortion
	Extremely/Very Important	Somewhat/Less Important
All	54%	45
Abortion Supporters	47	52
Abortion Opponents	64	35

Abortion Views

Overall, 55 percent of Americans say abortion should be legal in all or most cases, essentially unchanged from last spring and about the average in polls since 1995. That includes 21 percent who say it should be legal in all cases, and 34 percent who say it should be legal in most cases. Among the 42 percent who say abortion should be illegal, 25 percent say it should be so in most cases, 17 percent in all cases.

Those in either extreme are more likely than others to say it's important that a Supreme Court nominee share their position. Among adults who say abortion should be legal in all cases, 62 percent say it's extremely or very important to them that a judge agrees; among those who say abortion should always be illegal, more, 77 percent, say so.

There's a similar difference among those who take a more moderate position on either side. Among people who say abortion should be mostly legal, just 38 percent call it important that a nominee shares their view. But among Americans who think abortion should be mostly illegal, more, 56 percent, say it's important.

There are also differences among other demographic groups. Sixty-one percent of evangelical white Protestants (who broadly oppose legal abortion) say a judge's position on the issue is highly important to them; 42 percent of non-evangelical white Protestants (who broadly support legal abortion) say so. And while there is no significant difference between men and women on abortion in general, women are 17 points more likely than men to call it important for a judge to share their view on the issue.

Agreement on Abortion Extremely/Very Important -- Gender
Men	45%
Women	62

Agreement on Abortion Extremely/Very Important -- Religion
Evangelical White Protestants	61%
Non-Evangelical White Protestants	42
Catholics	46

Agreement on Abortion Extremely/Very Important -- Ideology
Liberals	67%
Moderates	47
Conservatives	57