Virginia poll shows nuance of abortion debate
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Virginians' views on abortion can vary dramatically depending on how they're asked about it, new polling by Christopher Newport University's Wason Center indicates.
What they found: General questions about abortion rights yielded familiar results, finding broad support for access to the procedure.
- 67% of respondents said they think abortion should be legal in all or most cases.
- 58% said they oppose or strongly oppose the Supreme Court's decision to overturn Roe v. Wade.
👀 Yes, but: A narrow majority of respondents (51%) also said they'd support a ban on abortions after the 15th week of pregnancy with exceptions for pregnancies arising from rape or incest.
Details: The poll, conducted between Sept. 18 and Oct. 7, surveyed 740 registered voters and has a margin of error of +/- 4.5%.
Why it matters: It's the first time a public poll has asked voters directly about Gov. Glenn Youngkin's push for a 15-week abortion ban, which he announced immediately after the Supreme Court overturned Roe.
- Democrats, who hold a one-seat majority in the state Senate, have vowed to block any measures.
Context: Abortion is currently legal in Virginia with no restrictions through the 25th week of pregnancy.
Between the lines: How can the same survey show voters hold two seemingly contradictory views?
- Rebecca Bromley-Trujillo, the Wason Center's research director, tells Axios she reads the results in the context of broader fears about complete bans on abortion. Juxtaposed to those extreme stances, she says a 15-week ban could "seem like the moderate take of the moment."
What we're watching: Bromley-Trujillo says views can change as the policy is debated.
- "It's clearly a nuanced and complicated issue," she says.