Support for abortion rights in the United States increased following the Supreme Court’s June decision to overturn Roe v. Wade, according to a new report. Moreover, support for abortion increased more in the 13 states with “trigger laws”—legislation that was designed to ban or limit abortion access immediately following the ruling—than in other states.
Researchers say this represents a chasm between the high court’s decision and public opinion in the United States, where a majority opposed the overturning of Roe v. Wade, and that this may impact the outcomes of the 2022 midterm elections. In the majority opinion of Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization, the ruling that overturned Roe, Justice Samuel Alito wrote, “Roe and Casey have enflamed debate and deepened division. It is time to heed the Constitution and return the issue of abortion to the people’s elected representatives.”
