Abortion became significantly more partisan in past few decades, new poll shows

The partisan divide on abortion has grown starkly wider over the past few decades, a new poll shows.

Only half as many Republicans identified as pro-choice in 2026 as did in 2006, with this percentage falling from 34% in 2006 to 17% in 2026, according to a Gallup poll released Wednesday. Meanwhile, the percentage of Democrats who identified as pro-choice rose from 62% to 81% over the same 20-year period.

The percentage of Republicans calling themselves pro-choice is down 25 points from 31 years ago while the percentage of Democrats identifying as such went up 23 points in the same time period, the survey found. In 1995, 58% of Democrats and 42% of Republicans identified as pro-choice.

Democrats are 64 points more likely to identify as pro-choice than Republicans in 2026, while in 2006 they were just 27 points more likely, according to Gallup’s poll.

While the issue has continued to grow the divide between the parties, independents have remained relatively steady in their stance over the last 31 years, the survey found. In 1995, 53% of independents identified as pro-choice. Twenty years ago, 55% identified as pro-choice, and in 2026, 54% identify as pro-choice.

The percentage of Democrats that identify as pro-choice rose 11 points since 2021, one year before the Dobbs Supreme Court decision in 2022 overturned Roe v. Wade, according to the Gallup poll. Meanwhile, the number of Republicans who identify as pro-choice has fallen by five points since 2021.

ReconMR conducted the Gallup poll by surveying a random sample of 1,001 adults from all 50 U.S. states and Washington, D.C. between May 1-17. The survey was conducted through phone interviews and has a margin error of plus or minus four percentage points.

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