Gallup Data Show Dobbs Backlash is Fading
When Dobbs overturned Roe v. Wade, abortion advocates crowed about a backlash. I responded that the surge in pro-abortion sentiment would be short-lived, as Americans got used to unborn children living and the sky not falling. And since we like accountability here at Secular Pro-Life, I put a quantifiable prediction in writing: “five years from now, American opinion on abortion and Roe v. Wade will have moved in a strongly pro-life direction, as evidenced by reputable polls.”
We are only three years away from Dobbs, so my bet has not yet come due. But things are moving in favor of life, according to recently released Gallup polls.
In May of 2022 (when the Dobbs opinion was leaked but not yet official), the percentage of Americans identifying as “pro-life” hit 39% — a low not seen since the 1990s. As of last month, it’s up four points to 43%.
The pro-life/pro-choice gap narrows considerably when Gallup asks the question without using those labels. 48% of Americans say abortion should be “illegal in all circumstances or legal in only a few circumstances,” versus 49% who say it should be “legal under any or most circumstances.” Abortion supporters only have a one-point advantage. This strongly suggests that many Americans hold anti-abortion beliefs but have been poisoned against the “pro-life” brand. (Can’t imagine why!)
As Dr. Michael New points out for National Review, the numbers for young people are especially encouraging. In the immediate aftermath of Dobbs, 53% of 18- to 29-year-olds briefly adopted the abortion extremist position of “legal under any circumstances.” Today, it’s only 34%. The age group most likely to experience an unintended pregnancy isn’t buying the violence of abortion as the answer.
Despite our opposition’s best propaganda efforts to falsely blame pro-life laws for women’s deaths (when the truth is that maternal mortality is declining), the Dobbs backlash couldn’t last. The future belongs to the children of Dobbs. As infants and toddlers, they are already changing minds. Once they are old enough to advocate for their own lives, the abortion industry doesn’t stand a chance.
If you appreciate our work and would like to help, one of the most effective ways to do so is to become a monthly donor. You can also give a one time donation here or volunteer with us here.
