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This Week Roundtable: Courting Female Voters

Poll Watch: Rasmussen (R) Survey on Abortion and Ultrasound Laws

Rasmussen (R) Survey on Abortion and Ultrasound Laws

Generally speaking, on the issue of abortion, do you consider yourself pro-choice or pro-life?

• Pro-Choice 53% [49%] (50%)
• Pro-Life 39% [41%] (40%)

Among Women

• Pro-Choice 55%
• Pro-Life 36%

Among Men

• Pro-Choice 51%
• Pro-Life 42%

Several states have proposed laws that would require pregnant women to view an ultrasound picture of their fetus before having an abortion.  Do you favor or oppose such a proposal? 

• Favor  41%
• Oppose  48%

Should the government be allowed to mandate medical procedures for patients? 

• Yes 9% 
• No 78%  

National survey of 1,000 likely voters was conducted March 25-26, 2012. The margin of error is +/- 3 percentage points. Results from the poll conducted May 23-24, 2011 are in square brackets.  Results from the poll conducted February 14-15, 2011 are in parentheses.

Inside the numbers:

Predictably, 74% of pro-choice voters oppose the law requiring pregnant women to view ultrasounds prior to abortions, while 72% of pro-life voters favor it.

Interestingly, while 62% of Republican voters support the law requiring women to view ultrasounds before abortions, 80% of GOP voters say the government should not be allowed to mandate medical procedures. Sixty-seven percent (67%) of Democrats and 52% of voters not affiliated with either party oppose the law.

Similarly, 76% of pro-life voters say the government should not be allowed to mandate medical procedures, a view shared by 81% of pro-choice voters.

Men and women feel similarly about the ultrasound proposal: Pluralities of women (48%) and men (49%) oppose such a law.

Poll Watch: Quinnipiac Virginia Political Survey

Quinnipiac Virginia Political Survey

Do you approve or disapprove of the way Bob McDonnell is handling his job as Governor?

• Approve 53% (57%)
• Disapprove 32% (21%)

Among Independents

• Approve 53% (62%)
  
• Disapprove 33% (20%)

Do you think abortion should be legal in all cases, legal in most cases, illegal in most cases or illegal in all cases?

• Legal in all cases 21% (24%)
• Legal in most cases 36% (30%)
• Illegal in most cases 23% (25%)
• Illegal in all cases 12% (14%)

Among Democrats

• Legal in all cases 36% (35%)
• Legal in most cases 36% (36%)
• Illegal in most cases 16% (11%)
• Illegal in all cases 6% (11%)

Among Republicans

• Legal in all cases 9% (13%)
• Legal in most cases 28% (24%)
• Illegal in most cases 36% (37%)
• Illegal in all cases 19% (20%)

Among Independents

• Legal in all cases 20% (20%)
• Legal in most cases 42% (37%)
• Illegal in most cases 20% (25%)
• Illegal in all cases 10% (10%)

College Degree

• Legal in all cases 25% (30%)
• Legal in most cases 40% (36%)
• Illegal in most cases 23% (20%)
• Illegal in all cases 8% (10%)

No College Degree

• Legal in all cases 18% (21%)
• Legal in most cases 34% (27%)
• Illegal in most cases 24% (28%)
• Illegal in all cases 15% (16%)

Age 18-34

• Legal in all cases 14% (31%)
• Legal in most cases 48% (27%)
• Illegal in most cases 24% (23%)
• Illegal in all cases 11% (13%)

Age 35-54

• Legal in all cases 26% (26%)
• Legal in most cases 34% (35%)
• Illegal in most cases 24% (23%)
• Illegal in all cases 10% (10%)

Age 55+

• Legal in all cases 20% (18%)
• Legal in most cases 32% (28%)
• Illegal in most cases 24% (28%)
• Illegal in all cases 16% (17%)

There is a new law in Virginia that legally requires women seeking an abortion to undergo an ultrasound at least 24 hours before the procedure. Do you approve or disapprove of this new law?

• Approve 41%
• Disapprove 52%

Among Democrats

• Approve 27%
• Disapprove 67%

Among Republicans

• Approve 61%
• Disapprove 31%

Among Independents

• Approve 39%
• Disapprove 56%

College Degree

• Approve 33%
• Disapprove 61%

No College Degree

• Approve 46%
• Disapprove 47%

Do you think government should make laws aimed at convincing pregnant women who plan to have an abortion to change their minds, or don't you think so?

• Yes 21%
• No 72%

Among Democrats

• Yes 17%
• No 78%

Among Republicans

• Yes 31%
• No 57%

Among Independents

• Yes 17%
• No 78%

Pro-Choice

• Yes 8%
• No 89%

Pro-Life

• Yes 45%
• No 48%

Survey of 1,034 registered voters was conducted March 13-18, 2012. The margin of error is +/- 3.1 percentage points. Party ID: 31% (30%) Democrat; 26% (29%) Republican; 37% (28%) Independent.  Results from the poll conducted December 13-19, 2011 are in parentheses.

Poll Watch: Quinnipiac Pennsylvania Survey on Gov. Corbett and Abortion

Quinnipiac Pennsylvania Survey on Gov. Corbett and Abortion

Do you approve or disapprove of the way Tom Corbett is handling his job as Governor?

• Approve 41%
• Disapprove 41%

Among Democrats

• Approve 23%
• Disapprove 65%

Among Republicans

• Approve 61%
• Disapprove 18%

Among Independents

• Approve 46%
• Disapprove 36%

College Degree

• Approve 40%
• Disapprove 49%

No College Degree

• Approve 42%
• Disapprove 37%

Do you think abortion should be legal in all cases, legal in most cases, illegal in most cases or illegal in all cases?

• Legal in all cases 25%
• Legal in most cases 29%
• Illegal in most cases 23%
• Illegal in all cases 14%

Among Democrats

• Legal in all cases 33%
• Legal in most cases 35%
• Illegal in most cases 14%
• Illegal in all cases 9%

Among Republicans

• Legal in all cases 12%
• Legal in most cases 19%
• Illegal in most cases 39%
• Illegal in all cases 25%

Among Independents

• Legal in all cases 31%
• Legal in most cases 34%
• Illegal in most cases 18%
• Illegal in all cases 11%

College Degree

• Legal in all cases 30%
• Legal in most cases 34%
• Illegal in most cases 20%
• Illegal in all cases 12%

No College Degree

• Legal in all cases 23%
• Legal in most cases 27%
• Illegal in most cases 24%
• Illegal in all cases 16%

Age 18-49

• Legal in all cases 30%
• Legal in most cases 30%
• Illegal in most cases 25%
• Illegal in all cases 11%

Age 50-64

• Legal in all cases 25%
• Legal in most cases 31%
• Illegal in most cases 20%
• Illegal in all cases 14%

Age 65+

• Legal in all cases 17%
• Legal in most cases 25%
• Illegal in most cases 25%
• Illegal in all cases 21%

Among Men

• Legal in all cases 21%
• Legal in most cases 33%
• Illegal in most cases 27%
• Illegal in all cases 11%

Among Women

• Legal in all cases 29%
• Legal in most cases 26%
• Illegal in most cases 19%
• Illegal in all cases 18%

As you may know, the state legislature is considering a bill that would legally require women seeking an abortion to undergo an ultrasound at least 24 hours before the procedure. Do you support or oppose this bill?

• Support 42%
• Oppose 48%

Among Democrats

• Support 30%
• Oppose 60%

Among Republicans

• Support 58%
• Oppose 32%

Among Independents

• Support 37%
• Oppose 53%

College Degree

• Support 35%
• Oppose 57%

No College Degree

• Support 45%
• Oppose 44%

Think Abortion Should Be Legal in All/Most Cases

• Support 28%
• Oppose 67%

Think Abortion Should Be Illegal in Most/All Cases

• Support 66%
• Oppose 25%

In most cases a trans-vaginal ultrasound would be required due to the early stage of pre-abortion pregnancies. A trans-vaginal ultra sound requires vaginal insertion of a probe. Do you support or oppose legally requiring trans-vaginal ultrasounds before a woman can get an abortion?

• Support 23%
• Oppose 64%

Among Democrats

• Support 16%
• Oppose 73%

Among Republicans

• Support 38%
• Oppose 47%

Among Independents

• Support 16%
• Oppose 72%

College Degree

• Support 20%
• Oppose 70%

No College Degree

• Support 24%
• Oppose 61%

Think Abortion Should Be Legal in All/Most Cases

• Support 13%
• Oppose 81%

Think Abortion Should Be Illegal in Most/All Cases

• Support 40%
• Oppose 44%

Survey of 1,256 registered voters was conducted March 7-12, 2012. The margin of error is +/- 2.8 percentage points. Party ID: 37% Democrat; 32% Republican; 25% Independent; 6% Other.

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Govs. Martin O'Malley and Bob McDonnell on Meet the Press

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Poll Watch: Christopher Newport University/Richmond Times-Dispatch Virginia Political Survey

Christopher Newport University/Richmond Times-Dispatch Virginia Political Poll

Do you generally support requiring women to have an ultrasound procedure before seeking an abortion?

• Support ultrasound requirement 36.2%
• Oppose ultrasound requirement 54.6%

Among Democrats

• Support ultrasound requirement 27.1%
• Oppose ultrasound requirement 67.9%

Among Republicans

• Support ultrasound requirement 58.0%
• Oppose ultrasound requirement 32.5%

Among Independents

• Support ultrasound requirement 28.5%
• Oppose ultrasound requirement 60.9%

Among Men

• Support ultrasound requirement 33.6%
• Oppose ultrasound requirement 53.1%

Among Women

• Support ultrasound requirement 38.7%
• Oppose ultrasound requirement 56.0%

Do you support defining life as beginning at conception or do you oppose this idea?

• Support defining life at conception 40.7%
• Oppose defining life at conception 51.9%

Among Democrats

• Support defining life at conception 27.4%
• Oppose defining life at conception 67.2%

Among Republicans

• Support defining life at conception 65.0%
• Oppose defining life at conception 28.4%

Among Independents

• Support defining life at conception 32.7%
• Oppose defining life at conception 59.0%

Among Men

• Support defining life at conception 38.4%
• Oppose defining life at conception 51.2%

Among Women

• Support defining life at conception 42.6%
• Oppose defining life at conception 52.5%

Should the one-gun-per-month ban be lifted on handguns?

• Ban should be lifted 31.1%
• Ban should remain 66.0%

Among Democrats

• Ban should be lifted 25.2%
• Ban should remain 72.3%

Among Republicans

• Ban should be lifted 35.4%
• Ban should remain 61.7%

Among Independents

• Ban should be lifted 31.9%
• Ban should remain 65.7%

Do you approve or disapprove of the way Barack Obama is handling his job as President?

• Approve 43.0%
• Disapprove 53.1%

Survey of 1,018 registered Virginia voters was conducted February 4-13, 2012 by the Muhlenberg College Institute of Public Opinion. The margin of error is +/- 3.1 percentage points.

Poll Watch: SurveyUSA/WFLA-TV Tampa-St. Petersburg Political Survey

SurveyUSA/WFLA-TV Tampa-St. Pete Political Poll 

Do you approve or disapprove of the job Barack Obama is doing as President?

• Approve 48% (48%)
• Disapprove 49% (48%)

Among Democrats

• Approve 82% (80%)
• Disapprove 14% (17%)

Among Republicans

• Approve 18% (13%)
• Disapprove 79% (82%)

Among Independents

• Approve 39% (47%)
• Disapprove 59% (50%)

Among Men

• Approve 44% (50%)
• Disapprove 54% (46%)

Among Women

• Approve 52% (45%)
• Disapprove 44% (50%)

President Obama says that no photographs or video of Osama Bin Laden's dead body will be made public. Is this the right decision? The wrong decision? Or, do you not know enough to say?

• Right decision 59%
• Wrong decision 30%
• Don't know enough 11%

Among Democrats

• Right decision 76%
• Wrong decision 17%
• Don't know enough 7%

Among Republicans

• Right decision 49%
• Wrong decision 37%
• Don't know enough 14%

Among Independents

• Right decision 50%
• Wrong decision 37%
• Don't know enough 14%

Among Men

• Right decision 54%
• Wrong decision 37%
• Don't know enough 10%

Among Women

• Right decision 63%
• Wrong decision 24%
• Don't know enough 13%

There is a proposal in the state senate that would require welfare recipients to undergo drug testing at their own expense. Do you support or oppose this proposal?

• Support 64%
• Oppose 29%

Among Democrats

• Support 55%
• Oppose 38%

Among Republicans

• Support 79%
• Oppose 16%

Among Independents

• Support 60%
• Oppose 32%

Would you support or oppose legislation that would require women seeking an abortion to first have an ultrasound and then review it with the doctor unless first declining it in writing?

• Support 39%
• Oppose 49%

Among Democrats

• Support 32%
• Oppose 64%

Among Republicans

• Support 56%
• Oppose 31%

Among Independents

• Support 31%
• Oppose 48%

Among Men

• Support 38%
• Oppose 49%

Among Women

• Support 40%
• Oppose 49%

Pro-Choice

• Support 22%
• Oppose 66%

Pro-Life

• Support 68%
• Oppose 21%

Would you support or oppose legislation that would require written notification be sent to parents of a minor seeking an abortion?

• Support 75%
• Oppose 22%

Among Democrats

• Support 61%
• Oppose 35%

Among Republicans

• Support 88%
• Oppose 10%

Among Independents

• Support 80%
• Oppose 17%

Among Men

• Support 81%
• Oppose 18%

Among Women

• Support 70%
• Oppose 25%

Pro-Choice

• Support 67%
• Oppose 31%

Pro-Life

• Support 91%
• Oppose 6%

Survey of 500 adults in the Tampa-St. Petersburg-Sarasota metropolitan area was conducted May 5, 2011. The margin of error is +/- 4.5 percentage points. Party ID breakdown: 37% (37%) Democrat; 30% (36%) Republican; 31% (25%) Independent. Political ideology: 42% (39%) Moderate; 33% (34%) Conservative; 18% (21%) Liberal.  Abortion: 61% Pro-choice; 36% Pro-life.  Results from the poll conducted May 2, 2011 are in parentheses.