Poll: Republicans, Young Adults Most Likely to Oppose Abortion, Euthanasia

National   |   Steven Ertelt   |   Sep 18, 2007   |   9:00AM   |   WASHINGTON, DC

Poll: Republicans, Young Adults Most Likely to Oppose Abortion, Euthanasia Email this article
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by Steven Ertelt
LifeNews.com Editor
September 18,
2007

Washington, DC (LifeNews.com) — A new Harris Poll finds that Republicans and young adults are the most likely groups to oppose abortion, embryonic stem cell research and assisted suicide. The survey also showed that a candidate’s view on abortion is the most likely to earn a voter’s opposition compared with other social issues.

The Harris Poll surveyed 2,694 adults online between August 7 and 13, and asked whether they support or abortion key social issues, including various topics of interest to the pro-life community.

Polls that break down these political issues further than a support/oppose question normally show Americans oppose abortion by a 55-45 percentage margin, are split on assisted suicide and support embryonic stem cell research but oppose taxpayer funding of it.

In the Harris Poll, the death penalty came in with the most support of any topic closely followed by embryonic stem cell research at 57 percent.

Just a bare majority (52 percent) of adults backed "abortion rights" (in what pro-life advocates say is a biased wording) while only 39 percent supported "physician assisted suicide" (which is also labeled as biased).

Breaking down the respondents into political parties and age groups, Republicans and young adults (aged 18-30) were the most likely to oppose abortion, assisted suicide and embryonic stem cell research.

Just 31 percent of Republicans back abortion and assisted suicide and only 42 percent support embryonic stem cell research.

Democrats and independent voters were more supportive of all three as were Gex-X Americans (aged 31-42) and Baby Boomers (43-61).

The Harris Poll also found that a candidate’s contrasting stance on abortion would prompt 43 percent of adults to vote for another candidate.

The survey found 35 percent of adults were turned off by a difference of opinion with a candidate on embryonic stem cell research and just 19 percent said the same of assisted suicide.