This morning, the Knights of Columbus released the results of their annual Marist poll on sanctity-of-life issues. They surveyed 1025 adults between January 6 and January 9 of this year. This Knights have been commissioning annual abortion polls for the past 15 years and inform debates over sanctity-of-life issues. Unlike many other abortion surveys, they ask questions about a wide range of abortion policies. These Knights of Columbus polls usually find very strong public support for incremental pro-life laws.
This year’s poll is no exception. It found very strong opposition to both abortion on demand and taxpayer funding for abortion. Specifically, it found that only 21 percent of Americans thought abortion should be legal at any time during pregnancy. It also found that 60 percent oppose using taxpayer funding for abortion and that 78 percent oppose having taxpayer dollars fund abortion overseas. Furthermore, 60 percent oppose abortion in the case of a Downs-syndrome diagnosis, and a whopping 94 percent oppose sex-selective abortions. Good news!
The Knights of Columbus–Marist poll is one of the few to ask about policies pertaining to individuals and businesses that have religious objections to abortion. Overall, the poll found strong support for conscience rights. The results indicate that 77 percent of Americans feel that health-care professionals with religious objections to abortion should not be legally required to perform abortions. The poll also found that 55 percent felt that organizations who have religious objections to abortion should not be legally required to provide insurance coverage for it.
Another key finding from the poll is that there has been a great deal of stability in abortion attitudes. Furthermore, some survey questions actually reveal an increase in pro-life sentiment. The poll found a two-percentage-point gain for people identifying as pro-life since June 2022. Additionally, since January 2022, the poll found a six-point gain the percentage of Americans who oppose the use of tax dollars to pay for abortion. Many media polls have purportedly found gains in support for legal abortion since the Dobbs decision. However, this Knights of Columbus–Marist poll reveals a great deal of stability in public attitudes toward abortion.
As pro-lifers gather in Washington, D.C., on Friday for the annual March for Life, we should take heart. Ever since the Dobbs decision, mainstream media have worked overtime to depict pro-life laws and policies in a negative light. In spite of this, this Knights of Columbus–Marist poll and other surveys show strong support for many pro-life policies. Furthermore, there is more stability in abortion attitudes than many realize. As always, pro-lifers would do well to stay the course.