• Polling

Three in Five Americans Support a National Law Protecting Abortion Medication

Thursday, April 18, 2024 By Rachael Russell
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Poll: The Supreme Court and Abortion Laws

This Navigator Research report contains polling data on the latest perceptions of abortion rights in the country, including the legality of early medication abortion care, and support for creating a federal protection to access prescription abortion medication. We also take a look at trust in the Supreme Court as the Court prepares to hear arguments on abortion-related cases.

As the Supreme Court hears arguments related to abortion cases, Americans continue to be split on their views of the Court.


By a 12-point margin, Americans say they trust the Supreme Court to make the right decisions in the future (56 percent trust – 44 percent do not trust), largely driven by three in four Republicans who say they trust the Court (77 percent, up 17 points since November 2023). This is the first time trust in the Court is net positive since prior to the decision overturning Roe v. Wade was leaked in 2022. Nearly three in five Democrats and independents say they do not trust the Court to make the right decisions (61 percent and 57 percent, respectively). 

  • However, favorability of the Supreme Court is more split (net -1; 45 percent favorable – 46 percent unfavorable), with majorities of Democrats (64 percent) and independents (53 percent) viewing the Court unfavorably, while two in three Republicans are favorable to the Court (66 percent). 
  • While trust in the Court has rebounded modestly since 2022, a plurality of Americans believe the Court is making decisions that take away freedoms (45 percent) rather than protect freedoms (34 percent). A majority of Republicans say the Court is making decisions that protect freedoms (52 percent), while two in three Democrats (65 percent) and a plurality of independents (43 percent) say the Court is taking away freedoms. 
  • A majority of women say they do not trust the Court to make the right decisions (52 percent) and half believe the Court is making decisions that take away freedoms (50 percent).
Bar graph of polling data from Navigator Research. Title: Trust in the Supreme Court Has Rebounded Slightly, But a Plurality Still Say It Is Taking Away Freedoms

A growing share of Americans say that early medication abortion care should be legal.


By a 41-point margin, Americans say early medication abortion care, known as Mifepristone, should remain legal (61 percent legal – 20 percent illegal), including four in five Democrats (81 percent legal), a majority of independents (56 percent), and a plurality of Republicans (41 percent). Support for early medication abortion care remaining legal has grown across party lines since January (from net +34 to net +41), including among independents by a net 8 points (from net +34 to net +42), Democrats by a net 7 points (from net +67 to net +74), and Republicans by a net 10 points (from net -4 to net +6). Nearly one in five say they are unsure whether it should be legal or illegal (19 percent), including three in ten independents (30 percent) and one in four Republicans (24 percent). 

  • Amid legal challenges to the Food and Drug Administration, three in five Americans view the FDA favorably (net +35; 62 percent favorable – 27 percent unfavorable). Favorability is significantly higher among those who have gotten the coronavirus vaccine (net +48; 69 percent favorable – 21 percent unfavorable) while those who have not received one are more split in their views of the FDA (net +2; 43 percent favorable – 41 percent unfavorable).
  • While a majority of Americans are favorable to early abortion medication (net +21; 52 percent favorable – 31 percent unfavorable), only 28 percent of Americans are even familiar with the term “mifepristone,” which is net favorable among those who are familiar (17 percent favorable – 11 percent unfavorable).
Bar graph of polling data from Navigator Research. Title: A Growing Majority Want Early Medication Abortion Care to Remain Legal
Bar graph of polling data from Navigator Research. Title: The FDA Is Popular, Though Americans Unvaccinated Against Coronavirus Are Split in Their Views
Bar graph of polling data from Navigator Research. Title: Early Abortion Medication Is Popular While Mifepristone is Largely Unknown

Three in five Americans support President Biden and Congress passing a national law to protect prescription abortion medication.


By a 33-point margin, Americans support Biden and Congress passing a national law to protect access to prescription abortion medication used to end early pregnancies at home (61 percent support – 28 percent oppose), including 83 percent of Democrats, 52 percent of independents, and 39 percent of Republicans. 

  • Americans across racial demographics support a federal law to protect medication abortion, including Black Americans (71 percent), Hispanic Americans (65 percent), Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders (61 percent), and white Americans (58 percent).
Bar graph of polling data from Navigator Research. Title: Americans Support Congress Taking Action to Protect Prescription Abortion Medication

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About The Study

Global Strategy Group conducted public opinion surveys among a sample of 1,000 registered voters from March 28-March 31, 2024. 100 additional interviews were conducted among Hispanic voters. 75 additional interviews were conducted among Asian American and Pacific Islander voters. 100 additional interviews were conducted among African American voters. 100 additional interviews were conducted among independent voters. The survey was conducted online, recruiting respondents from an opt-in online panel vendor. Respondents were verified against a voter file and special care was taken to ensure the demographic composition of our sample matched that of the national registered voter population across a variety of demographic variables.

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About Navigator

In a world where the news cycle is the length of a tweet, our leaders often lack the real-time public-sentiment analysis to shape the best approaches to talking about the issues that matter the most. Navigator is designed to act as a consistent, flexible, responsive tool to inform policy debates by conducting research and reliable guidance to inform allies, elected leaders, and the press. Navigator is a project led by pollsters from Global Strategy Group and GBAO along with an advisory committee, including: Andrea Purse, progressive strategist; Arkadi Gerney, The Hub Project; Joel Payne, The Hub Project; Christina Reynolds, EMILY’s List; Delvone Michael, Working Families; Felicia Wong, Roosevelt Institute; Mike Podhorzer, AFL-CIO; Jesse Ferguson, progressive strategist; Navin Nayak, Center for American Progress Action Fund; Stephanie Valencia, EquisLabs; and Melanie Newman, Planned Parenthood Action Fund.

For press inquiries contact: press@navigatorresearch.org