The results of a new survey released by the Pew Research Center shows that 69 percent of Americans say they’re opposed to overturning Roe v. Wade. That means the vast majority of Americans want the constitutional right to abortion to remain in place, despite what you might hear from Donald Trump or Mike Pence.
According to the survey, support for Roe v. Wadeis higher among Democrats (84 percent) than Republicans (53 percent). This gap has increased since the 2013 survey, the Huffington Post reports. The report didn’t find many differences across education levels or gender, with both a majority of men and women saying the court shouldn’t overturn the decision. Young adults are slightly more likely (73 percent) than older adults (64 percent) to say the decision should not be overturned.
A larger divide exists among religious beliefs. Among Protestants, nearly two-thirds say the Supreme Court should not overturn the decision (63 percent). White evangelical Protestants ae more divided, with 49 percent believing the case shouldn’t be overturned and 47 percent saying it should. In contrast, 89 percent of those who are religiously unaffiliated support the continuation of Roe v. Wade.
During an earlier interview with 60 Minutes, President-elect Donald Trump said abortion rights should be left up to the states. He also promised to appoint pro-life justices who would be more likely to overturn Roe v. Wade.
Vice President-elect Mike Pence shares similar views regarding abortion rights. During a town hall meeting this past summer, Pence said Roe v. Wade should be sent back to the “ash heap of history where it belongs.”
According to FiveThirtyEight, actually overturning Roe v. Wade would a very tall order for the Trump administration. The decision has remained in place for more than 40 years, which means there's a firm precedent established for legal abortion—and judges really don't like going against precedent. But even with a constitutional right to abortion on the books, states have still managed pass tons of laws that restrict women's abortion rights to the point where it's pretty much impossible to have one if you're not wealthy enough. Reproductive rights are very much under attack in the U.S., and as the new president and vice president take office, they should know that their views stand in sharp contrast with the general public’s. The message is clear: most Americans support upholding Roe v. Wade. Trump and Pence need to remember that if they're truly going to be an administration for all Americans.