Welcome to NAVIGATOR – a project designed to better understand the American public’s views on issues of the day and help advocates, elected officials, and other interested parties understand the language, imagery, and messaging needed to make and win key policy arguments.
Key takeaways
- Among those who are pro-choice, abortion is a highly salient issue.
- Most would feel “revolted” or “angry” if Roe were overturned.
- There is some division as to how to evaluate the leaked draft decision and how the Court might ultimately rule.
- Democrats are more engaged and motivated on abortion, while some pro-choice Republicans may not vote in November.
- We have more work to do to explain codifying Roe, while term limits receive wide support.
Methodology
Little Is Seen As Going Well In The Country Today
Abortion Top-Tier For Many, Even If Not Always The Sole Important Issue
Most Describe The Debate As Between Religion And Rights
Democrats Define Republicans’ Position As More Focused On “The Fetus” Than On Children, While Republicans More Divided
Few Are Keeping Up With The Court Day-To-Day, Yet There Is Widespread Leak Awareness
Overturning Roe Will Make Participants Feel “Devastated,” “Disgusted,” “Revolted”
Many Explain Roe Could Impact Their Voting Enthusiasm And Choice
Roe’s End Seems Like A “Slippery Slope” Toward The Erosion Of Other Rights
Democrats And Republicans Vary Tremendously On What They Think The Court Will Do, Pointing To Ulterior Motives
Judicial Term Limits Is Far And Away The Most Popular Reform
Participants Question The Details Around Expanding the Court Or Eliminating The Filibuster
Participants Are Still Learning About Their States’ Law, With Texans Slightly More Aware; But What They Hear, They Don’t Like
In 50 Years, Democrats Hope This Is A Long-Forgotten Controversy
About The Study
GBAO conducted three online focus groups on June 15, 2022, with women voters in three states: Pennsylvania (Democratic, ages 35-54), Texas (Republican), and Arizona (Democratic, ages 18-34). Some quotes have been lightly edited for brevity. Qualitative results are not statistically projectable.
