On Thursday, the National Republican Senatorial Committee (NRSC) released internal polling on abortion, granting Townhall an early look.
The polling, conducted by OnMessage Inc., discusses a wide range of ways for addressing abortion, from "Who Decides in a Democracy," as well as how Republicans can "Be the Compassionate, Consensus Builder," and how to "Expose Democrats for Their Extreme Views." There are sections urging to "Refute Democrat Lies," as "Americans Support Reasonable Restrictions on Abortion," with a message to "Call Democrats Out for Their Obsession with Abortion."
Not only is every question met favorably by Republican respondents--national likely voters or Senate battleground likely voters, depending on the question--but Independents as well. There are even questions where Democrats agree with the Republican position. Further, Republicans are more committed to their position on abortion than Democrats.
The 26-page presentation on "Winning the Fight for Life" is a comprehensive look at the abortion issue under the 1973 decision of Roe v. Wade which legalized abortion on demand in all 50 states.
Fifty-four percent of respondents agree that "Unelected federal judges should not make laws. States should be able to establish their own laws regarding abortion, as they do on everything else." Not only do 50 percent of Independents and 69 percent of Republicans agree, but so do 40 percent of Democrats.
The poll also later reveals that a plurality, 43 percent, believes it's "elected officials" who should "set abortion policy in America," when asked to choose between that option and "unelected judges." More respondents said they didn't know or refused to answer (26 percent) than the 24 percent who chose judges.
Not only did a majority of Republicans (51 percent) and a plurality of Independents (47 percent) choose "elected officials," but a plurality of Democrats (38 percent) said they didn't know or refused.
The message Republicans ought to focus on includes how "Abortion ends a human life," with 73 percent of respondents agreeing that "An unborn baby is a human being," including not just 70 percent of Independents and 89 percent of Republicans, but 57 percent of Democrats.
Recommended
Close to a majority of Democrats agree, by 49-36 percent, that "It’s acceptable for states to limit late term abortions if the state makes it affordable to put babies up for adoption and financially assists the birth mother." Sixty percent of Independents and 69 percent of Republicans agree.
Another message includes how "States should have flexibility to implement reasonable restrictions," which, as many see it, including Justice Alito's draft, is the crux of the issue.
Polling has been conducted over the past several months in preparation for the Dobbs v. Jackson ruling so that Republicans can respond to Democrats' lies on abortion. NRSC Chairman Rick Scott's statement for Townhall indicates the GOP is committed regardless of the outcome.
"No matter what the Supreme Court decides, what’s clear is that the Democrat Party is well outside the mainstream on the issue of abortion. They support late-term abortion up until the moment of birth and oppose any restrictions whatsoever. They also want to force taxpayers to fund abortion, including abortions overseas. The NRSC has been conducting polling and focus groups for the last few months to give our candidates ammunition to fight back against the lies from radical Democrats and we’ll continue to take the fight to them," Scott said.
A major message of the presentation is to draw a distinction.
While a majority of Democratic respondents support taxpayer funding for abortions, this is only popular with the base. Sixty-five percent of all respondents say that "Whether you are pro-life or pro-choice, we can all agree that taxpayer money should not be used to pay for abortions," including 55 percent who do so strongly. While 38 percent of Democrats agree, 66 percent of Independents and 89 percent of Republicans agree.
The presentation also highlights how "America’s abortion laws are currently as extreme as Communist China and North Korea, allowing abortion up to the moment of live birth," and asks respondents to choose if this makes them more or less likely to support current abortion laws. By 50-18 percent, respondents say they are less likely. This includes a plurality of Democrats (40 percent) and Independents (44 percent), and a majority of Republicans (62 percent).
Respondents also favor Republican messaging on how "Current abortion policy in the United States allows for abortions to be performed for any reason, up until the very moment of birth," as 57-14 percent of respondents say they are less likely to support current laws.
Currently, the United States, under Roe, is one of seven nations that allow for elective abortion past 20-weeks.
For the upcoming midterms, 53 percent of respondents choose the Republican candidate "who supports banning abortion after 15 weeks with exception for the life and physical health of the mother or severe fatal abnormality of the baby," while 28 percent prefer a Democratic candidate "who supports unlimited abortion up until the moment of birth."
While Democratic respondents prefer their candidate by 58-17 percent, the Republican candidate has much more partisan support from fellow Republicans, by 90-3 percent. By 54-18 percent, Independents prefer the Republican candidate over the Democrat.
The presentation also uses Democratic positions against them when it comes to highlighting how Republicans are for "Reasonable Restrictions," as "Restricting late term abortion is a reasonable consensus position."
By 55-35 percent, respondents think that the "Supreme Court should allow the states to ban late-term abortions."
When it comes to the law before the Court, Mississippi's 15-week abortion ban, a majority of respondents, at 62 percent, say that they agree it is "wrong to allow abortions after 15 weeks when unborn babies can suck their thumb and feel pain, including 52 percent who do so strongly. The law is supported by 59 percent of Independents and 80 percent of Republicans. While more Democrats (48 percent) do not support the law, 43 percent do.
Lastly, the presentation highlights "Democrat Abortion Obsession" and urges messaging that "Calls Democrats Out." This not only applies to abortion, in that "Democrats hold extreme views on abortion that are not mainstream," but how "Inflation, the border, crime, and energy are top of mind issues for voters," the "Biden agenda has taken the country in the wrong direction and voters know it," and how "Democrats won't address issues harming the country" as "they would rather promote abortion."
The White House and many key Democrats have refused to condemn the leak, and are instead furthering a pro-abortion agenda, which President Joe Biden himself has done inarticulately this week. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) has called for another vote on the Women's Health Protection Act (WHPA), which will not only codify Roe, but invalidate pro-life laws at the state level. News broke on Thursday afternoon that the vote will take place next week.
While the WHPA passed the U.S. House of Representatives last September, it failed to gain a majority or overcome the filibuster earlier this year in the U.S. Senate. Even Sens. Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) and Susan Collins (R-ME), who support Roe, voted against the legislation. Sen. Joe Manchin (D-WV), a pro-life Democrat, also voted against it.
The opposition of Sens. Manchin and Kyrsten Sinema (D-AZ) to nuke the filibuster further dooms the fate of this extreme legislation.
Join the conversation as a VIP Member