Newsweek polling has shown an increase in the number of people who say they strongly lean towards the Democratic Party’s position on abortion.
Vice President Kamala Harris‘ focus on abortion rights in her campaign for the White House could help her win, according to experts and polling conducted on behalf of Newsweek.
More than half of Americans (53 percent) say they lean towards the Democratic position on abortion, compared to 36 percent who lean towards the Republican position, according to polling conducted in October.
While the overall number of people who say they lean towards the Democratic position has remained steady since July last year, there has been a bigger shift in those who say they „strongly lean“ towards the Democratic position.
Some 33 percent of Americans say they now „strongly lean“ towards the Democratic position, up from 28 percent in July last year. The numbers who say they „strongly lean“ towards the Republican position has seen a slight shift, from 14 percent in July 2023 to 16 percent this October.
This data is based on polling conducted exclusively by Redfield & Wilton Strategies on behalf of Newsweek between July 2023 and October 2024. Altogether, 19 polls were conducted, asking cumulatively 34,800 eligible voters about the key issues of the 2024 election.
The rise in those leaning towards the Democratic position on abortion has been largely down to women—from 51 percent just before Harris entered the race in July 2024 to 55 percent in October. These figures are up from 48 percent in July 2023.
About 32 percent of women said they lean towards the Republican position on abortion in October 2024—a level that has been fairly constant since Harris entered the race.
As of October 2024, a majority of men (52 percent) say they lean towards the Democratic position, while the number who „strongly lean“ towards it has risen from 26 percent in July 2023 to 32 percent this October.
The number of men who lean towards the Republican position has risen from 33 percent in July 2023 to 40 percent this October, while those who strongly lean towards it has only shifted by two points, from 14 percent last July to 18 percent this October.
Overall, the findings suggest that Harris‘ campaign strategy of centering abortion rights could prove to be a winning one in a tight race against former President Donald Trump, where small margins in battleground states could swing the outcome.
Harris has repeatedly attacked Trump for the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision in Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization that overturned Roe v.
