A third national poll in three days finds a majority of Americans disapproving of the Supreme Court’s ruling Friday overturning the Roe v. Wade decision guaranteeing a right to abortion.
In Monmouth University’s latest poll, a combined 60% of Americans strongly disapprove (53%) or somewhat disapprove (7%) of the court’s ruling, versus a combined 37% who strongly approve (29%) or somewhat approve (8%).
Monmouth’s follows CBS and NPR/PBS/Marist all showing a majority opposing the high court’s ruling.
In addition, Monmouth finds 36% saying abortion should always be legal, 30% saying it should be legal with limitations, 22% saying it should illegal with exceptions and 10% saying it should always be illegal.
Asked about abortion another way, 66% of respondents believe the mother should be afforded more rights during the first three months of pregnancy, compared with 23% who think the unborn fetus should be afforded more rights.
But in the second three months of pregnancy, opinions are more divided — 44% say the mother should have more rights, versus 46% who say the unborn fetus should.
And during the final three months of pregnancy, 53% say the unborn fetus should have more rights, while 37% say the mother should.
Also asked what bothers respondents “a lot” in the abortion debate, 72% said it was abortion bans not including exceptions for rape, incest or when the mother’s life is at risk; 65% said it was treating illegal abortions as a felony where a doctor or mother could be charged with murder; 57% said it was banning abortion nationwide; 46% said it was banning abortion in certain states.
Finally, as some Democrats are calling to expand the court’s size after the ruling overturning Roe, 56% say they oppose that effort, while 38% support it.
The Monmouth University poll was conducted June 24-27 of 747 adults, and it has an overall margin of error of plus-minus 3.6 percentage points.
