If the U.S. Supreme Court were to overturn Roe v. Wade, a new poll shows a majority of Texas voters would oppose the state banning access to abortions.
The surveyed 1,200 registered voters in Texas. It found that 54% are against banning all abortions in Texas if Roe was overturned, while 35% would support it.
鈥淣ow, this is remarkably consistent,鈥� said James Henson, the director of the at UT-Austin. 鈥淲e've asked this question four times in the last two years and the results have barely moved. So, that underlines that Texans鈥� views on abortions are fairly fixed.鈥�
The poll鈥檚 release comes as the Supreme Court 鈥� which has a 6-3 conservative majority 鈥� could soon overturn the 1973 landmark Roe v. Wade decision legalizing abortion nationwide. An initial written by Justice Samuel Alito was leaked to Politico, which released it Monday, .
Henson acknowledged that the poll was taken in April before that news, but with the expectation that the nation鈥檚 high court is expected to issue a ruling related to Roe v. Wade in June.
Breaking it down by party affiliation, Henson said 80% of Democrats surveyed oppose ending access to abortion in the state, while 57% of Republicans would support that.
鈥淏ut a sizable minority, 34% [of Republicans], are opposed,鈥� added Henson. 鈥淭his is both an indication and, in looking forward, a kind of leading indicator of why this issue is not as straightforward for Republicans 鈥� particularly Republicans in an election year 鈥� as one might think.鈥�
Texas is among several states with a so-called trigger law on the books which would make abortions illegal should Roe be overturned. A provision in the Texas law, passed last year, allows it to take effect 30 days after the Supreme Court strikes down Roe v. Wade.
Henson said the poll found that when it comes to the implementation of Texas鈥� trigger bill, independents 鈥渓ook a lot more like Democrats than Republicans.鈥�
鈥淚f you look at the 12% or so who are true independents in Texas 鈥� not those that lean towards one party or the other, but will not identify with a party no matter what 鈥� only 26% support overturning Roe v Wade. 57% opposed it.鈥�
If Roe is overturned, Henson expects it will create a 鈥渕obilization opportunity for Democrats鈥� to get more people to vote in the 2022 election, including independents.
Henson said independent voters in Texas typically favor Republicans on issues like border security and the economy.
