A new LSU Reilly Center for Media and Public Affairs study shows that for the first time a majority of Louisiana residents support legalized abortions in all or most cases.
That survey says 52 percent are in favor of legal abortions, up from 40 percent in 2016. Only 27 percent of Republicans polled said they supported legal abortions in all or most cases. Still, that's an increase from 23 percent in 2016. Meanwhile, 57 percent of independent voters approved of legalized abortion, up from 40 percent seven years ago. Democratic respondents said "yes" to legal abortions by an 82 percent margin, a jump from 51 percent in 2016.
According to LSU political scientist Dr. Robert Hogan, last year's Dobbs v. Jackson Supreme Court decision is forcing Louisiana residents to rethink their positions on abortion. He noted that the ruling overturning Roe v. Wade brought the issue to the attention of the public in a way that it wasn't seven years ago.
That, Dr. Hogan says, has people rethinking what abortion limits mean for women in general and for themselves.
"This is something that a lot of people probably took for granted," Dr. Hogan said. "Their opinions on this issue have become gelled a little more in a way that they weren't before."
Do these poll results mean that Louisiana's lawmakers are losing touch with the people they represent? Dr. Hogan says this year's election may answer that question.
"For a certain segment of the population, this is a motivating force in why they're going to turn out to vote and who they are ultimately going to vote for," Dr. Hogan said, adding that conservative candidates may have to change their stances to attract unaffiliated and some Democratic voters despite lawmakers drawing district lines to favor Republicans. "The issue of abortion is probably going to be something a lot of legislative candidates, when they're on the campaign trail, they're going to encounter voters who want to know their positions on these issues."