Approval of abortion polices drops to record low

by Sarah Ferris - 02/09/15 8:50 AM ET

Just one-third of Americans say they are satisfied with the country’s policies on abortion, the lowest rate in more than a decade, according to a new poll.

Approval among Republicans has plummeted to 21 percent this year, compared to Democratic approval which has hovered around 46 percent for several years, according to a Gallup poll released Monday.

The percent of Republicans who dislike the country’s abortion policies has steadily dropped under President Barack Obama, falling from a high of 44 percent approval rating under President George W. Bush.

While abortion has largely stayed off Congress’ agenda under Obama, abortion has played an increasing role in the state legislatures since the GOP sweep in the 2010 midterms. Several states, like Texas, Tennessee and Louisiana, are now facing court battles over their new, far stricter laws.

Gallup’s survey was conducted the first week of January, about two weeks before the issue of abortion caused significant infighting within the GOP. The party’s centrist members – led by some females – took issue with a bill to ban late-term abortions because of specific language about how to handle cases of rape and incest.

Since the House pulled the bill, state lawmakers in Wisconsin, West Virginia and South Carolina have each taken up the legislation.

Groups like the Family Research Council and Susan B. Anthony’s List expressed disappointment that the party pulled the original measure, but have maintained that the bill will reach the floor sometime this year.

Tags Abortion Barack Obama