Most in new poll say overturning Roe is ‘step backward’

Over half of the Americans questioned in a new poll say the Supreme Court’s decision to overturn Roe v. Wade is a “step backward” for the U.S.

In the CBS News-YouGov poll released Sunday, 52 percent of voters said the decision was a “step backward,” while 31 percent said it was a “step forward.” Seventeen percent said it was neither.

Overall, the poll found that 59 percent of respondents disapproved of the ruling and 41 percent approved. More than two-thirds of women surveyed — 67 percent — disapproved of the ruling, while 33 percent were in favor of it.

A majority of women in the survey — 56 percent — also said the court’s decision will make their lives worse, while only 16 percent said it will make their lives better. Twenty-eight percent of women said it will not make a difference.

Justices in a 5-4 decision on Friday overturned Roe, sending the future of abortion rights back to states to decide whether they want to ban procedures or tighten restrictions.

The new survey also measured emotions toward the decision, which sparked protests across the U.S., with those who approved of the decision, especially those who identify as conservative or white evangelicals, reporting feeling “both hopeful and happy.”

On the other side, many voters who disapproved of the decision have reported feeling “upset, angry, and many add scared,” pollsters said. They noted that the sentiments are more commonly felt among the women who disapproved of the decision than the men who did.

A majority of respondents — 57 percent — said it is likely that the court will limit same-sex marriage next, while 55 percent said justices will limit access to birth control.

The poll of 1,591 adults was conducted from June 24 to June 25 following the ruling. It has a margin of error of 3 percentage points.