Nearly three out of 10 Americans want abortion made illegal in their state if the U.S. Supreme Court allows that to happen, according to an Associated Press poll.
A 57 percent majority would want abortion to remain legal, and an additional 6 percent would want it legal in some cases. Nine percent were not sure.The high court could reverse Roe vs. Wade, the 1973 decision establishing the right to abortion, and free the states to enforce laws against abortion, when it rules this summer on a restrictive Pennsylvania law.
With an election campaign under way, candidates will be watching the polls to see how the issue resonates with voters.
Sixty-five percent of registered voters - and the same percentage of all 1,009 adults polled - said they would not vote for or against a candidate on the basis of an abortion stand. Twenty-five percent would vote based on the abortion issue, and that rises to 30 percent among women.
Just one-fifth of those surveyed firmly oppose abortion. And fewer than half of those abortion opponents said the issue would decide how they voted.
Three in five Republicans, and two in three Democrats and independents, said their vote would not be compelled by abortion.
Though abortion-issue voters are a minority, enough exist in both parties that they could decide a very close election such as a three-way presidential race.
While Bill Clinton and Ross Perot describe themselves as supporters of abortion rights, President Bush opposes abortion except in cases of rape or incest or to save a mother's life.
In the poll, 14 percent said they would be more likely to vote for a state legislative candidate who firmly opposes abortion, and 32 percent would be less likely. The rest were unsure or said it wouldn't matter much.