Illinois Federation for Right to Life: Breaking, new Gallup poll: "The new normal on abortion: Americans more 'pro-life'"

Breaking, new Gallup poll: "The new normal on abortion: Americans more 'pro-life'"

Love Gallup's headline. And here are the results of its new annual poll on abortion:

According to Gallup...

The conservative shift in Americans' views on abortion that Gallup 1st recorded a year ago has carried over into 2010. Slightly more Americans call themselves "pro-life" than "pro-choice," 47% vs. 45%, according to a May 3-6 Gallup poll. This is nearly identical to the 47% to 46% division found last July following a more strongly pro-life advantage of 51% to 42% last May.

While the 2-percentage-point gap in current abortion views is not significant, it represents the 3rd consecutive time Gallup has found more Americans taking the pro-life than pro-choice position on this measure since May 2009, suggesting a real change in public opinion. By contrast, in nearly all readings on this question since 1995, and each survey from 2003 to 2008, more Americans called themselves pro-choice than pro-life.

According to Gallup, all age groups ("with particularly large increases among young adults and those aged 50 to 64 years") and both genders are trending pro-life as well ("with the increase among women coming mainly since 2008, whereas the increase in men started after 2006").

Pro-aborts are losing in the areas that really matter to them: Young people, who would be their future supporters/voters/activists; women, for obvious reasons; and the elderly, who are reliable voters.

According to the Gallup poll, the only demographic not trending pro-life over the long-term are Democrats...

As it did last year, Gallup blames Obama in part for the shift:

... [T]rends by party identification suggest that increased political polarization may be a factor in Republicans' preference for the "pro-life" label, particularly since Barack Obama took office.

Whatever the cause, the effect is that the pro-life label has become increasingly dominant among Republicans and to a lesser degree among independents, while the pro-choice label has become more dominant among Democrats.

Ed Morrissey at Hot Air adds:

It's not the political divide that's driving these numbers -- but it may be that the cultural shift has started to impact political identification as well. If so, pro-choice Democrats could find themselves in a minority party in the next several years.

Contact: Jill Stanek
Source: jillstanek.com
Publish Date: May 14, 2010
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