Nearly 40 percent of Florida Republicans are supporting an amendment to protect abortion rights in the state, despite some agreeing with the Supreme Court‘s decision to overturn Roe v. Wade, according to a poll conducted by the University of North Florida.
Voters in Florida will determine the fate of an amendment that would enshrine reproductive rights into the state’s constitution until the point of fetal viability, generally about 24 weeks into pregnancy. Abortion emerged as a major campaign issue after the U.S. Supreme Court abolished Roe in 2022 in a decision that returned the question of abortion rights to the states.
Republicans celebrated the victory, arguing that states should be able to make their own laws on the issue. More liberal states have protected abortion, while some conservative states have moved to ban the procedure in most cases, though some Republican-leaning states like Kansas and Ohio have still voted to protect the women’s health procedure.
In Florida, once a bellwether state that has trended more conservative in recent years, the abortion amendment has earned support from nearly four in 10 Republicans, including some who agree with the Supreme Court decision to bring it back to the states, according to a new poll.
Abortion rights supporters protest in West Palm Beach, Florida, on June 24. A new poll found that four in 10 Republicans in Florida back an amendment to protect abortion rights.
MARCO BELLO/AFP via Getty Images
The University of North Florida poll—which surveyed 977 likely voters from October 7 to October 18—found that 38 percent of Republicans plan to vote in support of the amendment.
It also found that 59 percent of Florida Republicans agreed with the decision to overturn Roe. The amendment is also being supported by 24 percent of respondents who identify as “pro-life,” according to the poll, which had a margin of error of plus or minus 3.78 percentage points.
According to Michael Bender, faculty director of the University of North Florida’s Public Opinion Research Lab, 21 percent of Republicans who said they agree with the Supreme Court’s overturning of Roe still plan to vote in support of the amendment.
Newsweek reached out to the Florida Republican Party for comment via email on Monday.
The poll also found a big lead for former President Donald Trump in the state, giving him a 10-point advantage over Vice President Kamala Harris (53 percent to 43 percent).
FiveThirtyEight’s Florida polling aggregate on Monday showed Trump with an average lead of 6.2 percent (50.9 percent to 44.7 percent) on Monday. In 2020, Trump won the state over President Joe Biden by about three points (51 percent to 48 percent).
The U.S. Senate race was notably closer in the poll, finding Republican Senator Rick Scott with a 3-point lead over his Democratic challenger, former Representative Debbie Mucarsel-Powell (49 percent to 46 percent). Scott is viewed as a favorite, but Democrats are hoping to pull off a surprise victory to help save their Senate majority.
Trump, a Florida resident, in August said he will be voting against the ballot measure in an interview with Fox News, but said he believes a six-week limit is too short.
“You need more time than six weeks. I’ve disagreed with that right from the early primaries. When I heard about it, I disagreed with it. At the same time, the Democrats are radical because the nine months is just a ridiculous situation,” he said.
He said he will be “voting no,” pointing to false claims that there are other states “where you can actually execute the baby after birth.” Infanticide is not legal in any state.
Democrats are hoping that abortion will remain a key issue for voters in this year’s elections and will motivate independent and politically moderate women in key states to vote against Trump, as polls show him locked in a close race with Harris.
