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The Supreme Court created quite a stir in June when it handed down rulings on landmark cases regarding gun rights and abortion. These are two of the most controversial issues being discussed on the national stage, and there has been fiery debate ever since. One might think public regard of the court would decline – even slightly – but data from Gallup suggests the opposite has happened.
Supreme Court Approval Stands Firm
Gallup released the findings of a poll showing that the Supreme Court’s overall job approval rating has ticked up to 43% from 40% in the previous year. The survey, conducted between July 5 and 26, also found tremendous shifts in the parties, with approval among Republicans rising 29 percentage points to 72% and that of Democrats falling 23 points to 13%.
What is noteworthy about these findings is that the 13% approval among Democrats is the lowest ever recorded by Gallup. To provide context, the polling company noted that this is not the first time there has been such a wide gap between right-leaning and left-leaning voters. “2015 witnessed a 58-point gap where approval among Republicans reached a historic low (18%), and Democrats’ a historic high (76%), in the wake of the Obergefell vs. Hodges decision prohibiting state bans on same-sex marriage,” the report read.
When it comes to gun control, some polls suggest Americans are in favor of more restrictions. A Pew Research survey found that about 64% approved of the new gun control measure signed into law on June 25. However, despite approving of the legislation, 78% believed it would do little or nothing to decrease gun violence.
(Photo by Yasin Ozturk/Anadolu Agency via Getty Images)
Abortion appears to be the more hot-button issue, and this can be seen in the recent Kansas ballot issue. About 59% of Kansans voted against amending the state’s constitution to exclude abortion as a right. This is significant in that it was the first major test of opinions by direct vote since the Supreme Court issued its ruling. Still, another Gallup poll shows that even among those who support keeping abortion legal, at least 50% believe it should be allowed “only under certain circumstances.”
Ever since the Supreme Court’s draft opinion on Dobbs leaked, Democrats hoped to leverage the issue to better their chances of keeping control of Congress, or at least of mitigating some of the damage they are likely to sustain in the upcoming Congressional elections. A poll from Kaiser Family Foundation revealed that 55% of voters indicated it is a “very important” issue when deciding which candidates they will support in November. However, it is important to note that an even higher share (74%) views inflation and gas prices as “very important” as well. This could indicate that reproductive rights will not play as big a role in determining the outcomes of the elections.
The fact that the Supreme Court’s approval rating has not taken a hit is notable given the current political environment. It might be another indicator suggesting that the gun rights and abortion issue are not as important to voters as the nation’s economic problems.
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