Bipartisan Majority of Voters Want to Protect Access to Contraception
By Anika Dandekar
When the Supreme Court’s Dobbs v. Jackson decision held that abortion was no longer protected by the constitutional right to privacy, other rights covered by privacy, such as the right to access contraception, were also called into question. Shortly after the Dobbs decision, the House of Representatives voted on the Right to Contraception Act, which would codify individuals’ right to access contraceptives into law and protect healthcare providers’ ability to provide contraceptives; 220 Democrats and eight Republicans voted for it, and 195 Republicans voted against it.
New Data for Progress polling shows that the vast majority of American voters support protecting contraception access, but have heard little about Republicans’ attempts to block the bill.
Voters’ Attitudes Toward Protecting Contraception Access
First, we asked voters if they support or oppose the Right to Contraception Act. Eighty-two percent of voters support this bill, by a +72-point margin, including Democrats by a +84-point margin, Independents by a +68-point margin, and Republicans by a +61-point margin. This overwhelming support holds true across gender as well, with women supporting the bill by a +74-point margin and men supporting by a +69-point margin.
Voters’ Attitudes About and Awareness of Recent Congressional Actions
We then asked voters if they had heard or read of Republican lawmakers attempting to restrict access to contraception. The majority of voters (51 percent) report hearing “nothing at all” about this. Democrats are more likely to report hearing about Republican lawmakers attempting to restrict access to contraception: Seventy-two percent of Democrats say they have heard “a lot” or “some,” while 28 percent say they have heard “nothing at all.” Fifty-five percent of Independents and 70 percent of Republicans report they have heard nothing about Republican lawmakers’ attempts. The majority of men (52 percent) and a plurality of women (49 percent) also say they have heard nothing about these attempts.
Next, we asked voters if they believe that the majority of House Republicans who voted against protecting contraception access made the right decision, and that the bill is unnecessary, violates religious values, and covertly encourages more pro-abortion funding; or if they think Republican lawmakers made the wrong decision, especially as states are banning abortion. Two-thirds of voters (66 percent) — including the majority of Democrats (85 percent) and Independents (65 percent), and a plurality of Republicans (48 percent) — believe that Republican lawmakers made the wrong decision by voting against the Right to Contraception Act. Seventy percent of women and 61 percent of men also believe that Republicans made the wrong decision when they voted against the bill.
Finally, we asked voters whether they would be more or less likely to vote for a congressional candidate who opposes protecting contraception access. Fifty-nine percent of voters, including 74 percent of Democrats, 63 percent of Independents, and 40 percent of Republicans, say they are less likely to vote for a candidate who opposes protecting the right to contraception. Sixty-two percent of women and 53 percent of men also say they are less likely to vote for a candidate who opposes protecting the right to contraception.
Conclusion
Now that abortion is no longer considered a constitutional right, access to contraception is ever more crucial. Our findings are clear: Voters across party lines overwhelmingly support protecting contraception access and think Republicans were wrong to vote against the Right to Contraception Act. However, most voters have heard little about this opposition. Democratic candidates running for Congress should be sure to relay these Republicans’ disregard for the will of the people to voters, as opposition to protecting contraception presents an irrefutable electoral disadvantage.
Anika Dandekar (@anikadandekar) is a polling analyst at Data for Progress.