Politics

EXCLUSIVE: New Poll Smothers Dems’ Hopes That Abortion Can Thwart A Red Wave

Brandon Bell/Getty Images

Daily Caller News Foundation logo
Laurel Duggan Social Issues and Culture Reporter
Font Size:

Abortion is not a top priority for female voters and most women support abortion limits that would have been considered unconstitutional under the Roe v. Wade precedent, a new poll found, dashing Democrats’ hopes of an electoral advantage over abortion.

Inflation was about four times as likely to be listed as the most important issue for female respondents compared to abortion, with only 54% saying abortion was very important in determining their vote compared to 74% for inflation, according to the RMC Research/America First Policy Institute poll shared exclusively with the Daily Caller News Foundation. The polling cuts against a common Democratic talking point: that overturning Roe would be an electoral boon for Democrats as pro-abortion voters, and women in particular, flocked to the polls in November. (RELATED: Biden Backs Spending Federal Dollars To Fund Abortion Leave)

Democratic super PACs and campaigns have poured three times as much money into messaging on abortion than they did in 2018 midterms and have pushed the message that female voters in particular will rebel against new abortion restrictions by voting Democrat in droves, but polling doesn’t support those assumptions.

Inflation, crime and gun violence, health care, economic issues and education were the most likely issues to be considered “very important” among women for influencing their vote, the poll found. Abortion ranked behind all of these, but was more important to women than immigration, climate change, the war in Ukraine and the Jan. 6 hearings.

In addition to not viewing abortion as a top priority, most women support abortion restrictions that are opposed by most Democratic leaders and would have ben struck down under Roe, which generally did not allow abortion restrictions within the first six months of pregnancy. Most women (60%) supported a 15-week limit on abortions, and 45% would choose a candidate who said abortion should be allowed only when the life of the mother is at risk compared to 34% who believed it should be allowed at any time up to birth.

The poll surveyed 1,200 registered voters between August and October with a 2.8% margin of error.

All content created by the Daily Caller News Foundation, an independent and nonpartisan newswire service, is available without charge to any legitimate news publisher that can provide a large audience. All republished articles must include our logo, our reporter’s byline and their DCNF affiliation. For any questions about our guidelines or partnering with us, please contact licensing@dailycallernewsfoundation.org.