MyDD :: SUSA 50 State Abortion Polling

SUSA 50 State Abortion Polling

by Ramo, Mon Sep 12, 2005 at 04:42:41 PM EST

http://www.surveyusa.com/50state2005/50StateAbortion0805SortedbyProChoice.htm

Very interesting info.

There are only 13 states where people who consider themselves pro-life outnumber those who consider themselves pro-choice. This list includes more traditional Dem strongholds in the South like Louisiana (pro-life by 19%, second only to Utah), Arkansas (pro-life by 15%, number three), West Virginia (by 14%), and Tennessee (9%). In the South, only the Atlantic states (particularly, Florida and Virginia, obviously) and Texas (pro-choice by 9% - puts Cornyn's pitiful approval ratings in context) bizarrely enough, are looking good for us.

The West is solidly pro-choice. And I don't just mean the Pacific. Nevada by 32% (as pro-choice as Rhode Island), Colorado by 22%, Alaska by 19%, Wyoming by 18%, New Mexico by 17%, Arizona by 17%, and Montana by 9%. Only Utah and Idaho go the other way, while the Dakotas and Nebraska are in the middle.

The Northeast is, of course, the most pro-choice region.

The mid-West is generally in the middle (but leaning pro-choice as a whole). And I do mean all of the mid-West. Including Kansas (pro-choice by 5% - how exactly did Brownback get elected???), Oklahoma (pro-life by 1%), and Indiana (pro-life by 3%).

What's the lesson here? By running strong civil libertarian platforms, we can break the Republican coalition apart and take back the West. There are also juicy possibilities in the mid-West and on the Atlantic. Elsewhere, a more populist oriented track seems more fruitful (especially Louisiana is Mississippi, obviously).

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Criminalization (none / 0)

The weighted average of all those favoring the criminalization of abortion is:

38%

ie wingnuts...

Besides telling us how to live, think, marry, pray, vote, invest, educate our children and, die, the GOP has done a fine job of getting gov't out of our lives.

by Parker on Mon Sep 12, 2005 at 05:05:23 PM EST

Re: Criminalization (none / 0)

hm also funny that his approval yesterday was at 38%.

Running the Davis, Nelson Klein team in Florida.

by Liberal on Tue Sep 13, 2005 at 01:10:57 AM EST
[ Parent ]

No, Less Than Half of Those Are Wingnuts (none / 0)

The real hardcore wingnuts only make up about 10 percent or less. (Folks who want to cut spending on health care, Social Security, etc.--these are the ones who qualify as real wingnuts.) The hardcore partisans maybe a little more than twice that. Nixon had 22 percent approval when he resigned. It might be slightly more today, but not that much.

The fact is, some of these folks are genuinely sincere. Some are people who are genuinely, consistently pro-life--anti-death penalty, anti-war, etc. A larger number not completely, but genuinely lean in that direction. These are people we can make commmon cause with by talking about things such as reducing unwanted pregnancy, and doing more for children born at risk--low birthweight babies and the like.

These are people that share more values with us than the values that divide us, and if we're smart and open and disciplined enough, we can win them away from the wingnuts over time. All together, they probably make up close to half of that 38%.

by Paul Rosenberg on Tue Sep 13, 2005 at 01:48:56 AM EST
[ Parent ]

The anti-choice group has always been a minority. (none / 0)

In 1996, the vast majority of Republicans opposed putting the Right to Life Plank in their platform.

The problem is that what the anti-choice idiots lack in numbers, they make up for in dedication and fundraising.

by craverguy on Mon Sep 12, 2005 at 05:28:21 PM EST

You forget that (none / 0)

there is no larger, more motivated, emotional voting block who vote entirely on a single issue than the pro-life crowd.

And many people are pro-choice only to a certain extent.

We still lose over this issue, unfortunately. We must learn to frame it better to win over more people. It's a common sense position.

The history of the left is a history of purists betraying the progressive movement so that they can feel good about their righteous selves.

by Populism2008 on Mon Sep 12, 2005 at 07:44:48 PM EST

Re: You forget that (none / 0)

It would be hard to call Sen. Mary Landrieu (D-LA) a "pro-choice extremist". While Landrieu is pro-choice, she also supports restrictions on abortion, such as parental consent laws, waiting periods, and supports a ban on late term abortions. She was not endorsed by Planned Parenthood or NARAL.

Yet her own grandfather would not vote for her because she was too pro-choice.

by wayward on Mon Sep 12, 2005 at 08:44:19 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Is Roe irrelevant? (none / 0)

In light of these polls, how relavent IS Roe, anyway?

Only 13 states have a pro-life majority. I have not done the research, but I'm willing to bet that there are not very many clinics in these states.

However, my experience is that pro-life voters tend to take this issue more seriously. Pro-choice Republicans still vote Republican. Pro-life Democrats, especially Catholic Democrats, have been leaving the party for quite sometime. There are plenty of committed women on both sides of this issue, but very few men care about being pro-choice when they get into the voting booth, while there are plenty of men who vote pro-life.

The Republican Party seems to understand that different people have different opinions about the abortion issue. There are plenty of prominent pro-choice Republicans, such as Marc Racicot, Arnold Schwartzenegger, Rudy Giuliani, George Pataki, and Arlen Specter. The Democratic Party has not been as welcoming of people who disagree with the party platform on this issue. This is a big mistake. I am counting at least six states (LA, AR, WV, KY, TN, SD) where Democrats have been clearly hurt by this issue.

Who cares if the Democrats from Louisiana are pro-life? They are better than Louisiana Republicans any day of the week. Will women in America be forced into burkas if the ONE abortion clinic in Mississippi closes?

The abortion issue should not be the litmus test about whether or not one is a good Democrat.

by wayward on Mon Sep 12, 2005 at 07:55:28 PM EST

Male Female Ratio (none / 0)

I would be interested to see how the poll breaks down between male and female responses. Are a majority of women also anti-choice in these states? Or is it just a lot of guys like Rick Santorum who would just as soon make up all those silly little women's minds up for them?

by danielfero on Tue Sep 13, 2005 at 12:14:38 AM EST

Re: Male Female Ratio (none / 0)

Women have stronger opinions about abortion, and are active on both sides of the issue.

The President of NARAL is a woman. The President of the American Life League is also a woman.

Statistically, men are actually more pro-choice than women. However, most men who would consider themselves to be pro-choice simply don't care enough about the issue for it to affect their voting patterns.

by wayward on Tue Sep 13, 2005 at 06:35:05 AM EST
[ Parent ]

Talk about Govt. getting into people's lives. (none / 0)

This is what i belive will destroy the Republican party they have to many conflicting views on things. So your Anti-Abortion but your not for putting child safetys on guns??? or: You are Pro-Death Penelty yet Anti-stem cell??

Running the Davis, Nelson Klein team in Florida.

by Liberal on Tue Sep 13, 2005 at 01:13:34 AM EST

That's always been my point. (none / 0)

Just once, I'd like to hear a real-life Democrat echo Sam Seaborne from The West Wing:

"You know, you insist government is depraved for not legislating against what we can see on newsstands, or what we can see in an art exhibit, or what we can burn in protest, or which sex we can have sex with, or a woman's right to choose, but don't you dare try to regulate this deadly weapon I have concealed on me, for that would encroach against my freedom."

by craverguy on Tue Sep 13, 2005 at 01:24:41 AM EST
[ Parent ]

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