Peter A. Brown, Assistant Director (203) 535-6203 Rubenstein Pat Smith (212) 843-8026 FOR RELEASE: JULY 26, 2019 OHIO VOTERS OPPOSE FETAL HEARTBEAT ABORTION BAN, QUINNIPIAC UNIVERSITY POLL FINDS; 90 PERCENT SUPPORT UNIVERSAL GUN BACKGROUND CHECKS With little gender difference, Ohio voters oppose 52 – 39 percent banning abortion after a fetal heartbeat is detected, according to a Quinnipiac University poll released today. Support for a fetal heartbeat abortion ban runs the religious gamut, from 55 – 38 percent among white evangelical Christians, to a divided 47 – 44 percent among Protestants, and a divided 48 – 44 percent among Catholics, to 69 – 23 percent opposed among those who practice no religion, the independent Quinnipiac (KWIN-uh-pe-ack) University Poll finds. Ohio voters who attend religious services weekly support the fetal heartbeat abortion ban 53 – 39 percent. Those who attend religious services less than once a week oppose the ban 56 – 36 percent. Voters agree 61 – 32 percent with the U.S. Supreme Court’s Roe v. Wade decision. Republicans, white evangelical Christians and those attending religious services weekly disagree with the court ruling. Every other party, gender, education, age, racial and religious group agrees with Roe v. Wade, including Catholics 54 – 40 percent and Protestants 54 – 42 percent. Abortion should be legal in all cases, 22 percent of Ohio voters say, as 33 percent say it should be legal in most cases. Another 27 percent say it should be illegal in most cases and 10 percent say it should be illegal in all cases. “When it comes to the thorny political issue of abortion, Ohio voters come down on the pro-choice side. They support the Roe v. Wade ruling that legalized abortion, and by a smaller margin, they oppose the fetal heartbeat abortion ban,” said Peter A. Brown, assistant director of the Quinnipiac University Poll. “Voters are divided on stricter gun laws, but back overwhelmingly universal background checks.” -more- Quinnipiac University Poll/July 26, 2019 – page 2 A wide gender gap leaves Ohio voters divided on stricter gun laws in the state as 48 percent support stricter gun laws, with 46 percent opposed. Women support stricter gun laws 54 – 38 percent, with men opposed 54 – 40 percent. There is no division, however, as Ohio voters support 90 – 8 percent, including 87 – 11 percent among gun owners, background checks for all gun buyers. Governor’s, Senators’ Approval Ohio voters approve 44 – 33 percent of the job Gov. Mike DeWine is doing. Approval is 58 – 23 percent among Republicans and 43 – 28 percent among independent voters. Democrats disapprove 52 – 28 percent. Sen. Sherrod Brown gets a 51 – 29 percent job approval rating, with a 43 – 31 percent job approval rating for Sen. Rob Portman. “Gov. Mike DeWine was elected narrowly in 2018, and Ohio voters are still getting to know him. The most popular elected official in the state, with a 51 percent approval rating, is Sen. Sherrod Brown. Ohio’s other U.S. Senator, Rob Portman, has a middling 43 percent approval rating,” Brown said. From July 17 – 22, Quinnipiac University surveyed 1,431 Ohio voters with a margin of error of +/- 3.2 percentage points, including the design effect. The Quinnipiac University Poll, directed by Douglas Schwartz, Ph.D., conducts gold standard surveys using random digit dialing with live interviewers calling landlines and cell phones. The Quinnipiac University Poll conducts nationwide surveys and polls in more than a dozen states on national and statewide elections, as well as public policy issues. Visit poll.qu.edu or www.facebook.com/quinnipiacpoll Call (203) 582-5201, or follow us on Twitter @QuinnipiacPoll. 2 9. Do you approve or disapprove of the way Mike DeWine is handling his job as governor? Approve Disapprove DK/NA Approve Disapprove DK/NA Tot Rep Dem Ind Men Wom WHITE...... COLLEGE DEG Yes No 44% 33 23 58% 23 19 28% 52 19 43% 28 29 42% 34 23 45% 33 23 50% 30 19 44% 33 23 AGE IN YRS.............. 18-34 35-49 50-64 65+ WHITE..... Men Wom Wht Blk 29% 37 34 45% 34 21 47% 32 21 34% 42 24 39% 41 21 54% 31 15 53% 26 21 49% 30 22 10. Do you approve or disapprove of the way Sherrod Brown is handling his job as United States Senator? Approve Disapprove DK/NA Approve Disapprove DK/NA Tot Rep Dem Ind Men Wom WHITE...... COLLEGE DEG Yes No 51% 29 19 29% 49 22 75% 16 9 59% 19 22 51% 32 17 52% 27 21 55% 31 14 50% 29 21 AGE IN YRS.............. 18-34 35-49 50-64 65+ WHITE..... Men Wom Wht Blk 45% 22 33 53% 32 15 52% 30 18 54% 22 24 52% 31 17 56% 29 15 53% 34 13 52% 28 20 11. Do you approve or disapprove of the way Rob Portman is handling his job as United States Senator? Approve Disapprove DK/NA Approve Disapprove DK/NA Tot Rep Dem Ind Men Wom WHITE...... COLLEGE DEG Yes No 43% 31 25 59% 18 23 26% 54 20 43% 29 28 47% 30 22 40% 33 27 46% 36 18 46% 26 28 AGE IN YRS.............. 18-34 35-49 50-64 65+ WHITE..... Men Wom Wht Blk 31% 29 40 51% 29 21 46% 30 24 35% 36 29 41% 35 23 52% 32 16 48% 30 22 42% 31 27 3 13. Do you support or oppose stricter gun laws in Ohio? Support Oppose DK/NA Support Oppose DK/NA Support Oppose DK/NA Tot Rep Dem Ind Men Wom WHITE...... COLLEGE DEG Yes No 48% 46 7 22% 72 6 83% 13 4 47% 44 9 40% 54 6 54% 38 7 51% 43 6 40% 52 9 AGE IN YRS.............. 18-34 35-49 50-64 65+ WHITE..... Men Wom Wht Blk 48% 47 5 36% 57 6 44% 48 8 77% 21 2 44% 51 6 47% 46 6 52% 38 10 GUN......... HsHld Owner DENSITY............ City Suburb Rural 33% 60 7 55% 38 7 28% 64 8 50% 44 6 51% 40 9 34% 58 7 14. Do you support or oppose requiring background checks for all gun buyers? Support Oppose DK/NA Support Oppose DK/NA Support Oppose DK/NA Tot Rep Dem Ind Men Wom WHITE...... COLLEGE DEG Yes No 90% 8 2 89% 10 1 95% 3 2 90% 7 2 86% 13 2 94% 4 2 92% 7 1 91% 7 2 AGE IN YRS.............. 18-34 35-49 50-64 65+ WHITE..... Men Wom Wht Blk 89% 9 2 87% 12 1 91% 7 2 88% 10 1 89% 9 2 91% 6 2 93% 5 2 GUN......... HsHld Owner DENSITY............ City Suburb Rural 89% 9 2 93% 5 2 87% 11 1 90% 8 2 95% 3 2 88% 10 2 4 16. Do you think abortion should be legal in all cases, legal in most cases, illegal in most cases or illegal in all cases? Legal all cases Legal most cases Illegal most cases Illegal all cases DK/NA Legal all cases Legal most cases Illegal most cases Illegal all cases DK/NA Legal all cases Legal most cases Illegal most cases Illegal all cases DK/NA Tot Rep Dem Ind Men Wom WHITE...... COLLEGE DEG Yes No 22% 33 27 10 8 5% 22 48 19 6 45% 40 7 2 6 20% 42 22 8 8 22% 32 29 8 8 22% 34 25 12 7 21% 36 29 11 4 17% 32 30 12 9 AGE IN YRS.............. 18-34 35-49 50-64 65+ WHITE..... Men Wom Wht Blk 34% 36 19 5 6 20% 33 32 8 7 19% 34 30 11 7 44% 33 13 2 8 20% 33 34 7 6 18% 34 30 9 9 17% 33 26 17 7 18% 34 28 14 6 RELIGION................. Wht Evang Prot Cath None ATTEND SRVCS Weekly Less 5% 22 47 21 5 10% 20 39 25 6 16% 33 35 11 5 10% 35 32 17 6 40% 40 11 3 7 25% 38 24 6 7 17. In general, do you agree or disagree with the 1973 Roe v. Wade Supreme Court decision that established a woman's right to an abortion? Agree Disagree DK/NA Agree Disagree DK/NA Agree Disagree DK/NA Tot Rep Dem Ind Men Wom WHITE...... COLLEGE DEG Yes No 61% 32 6 36% 59 6 87% 9 4 65% 28 7 60% 34 6 62% 31 7 61% 34 5 56% 37 8 AGE IN YRS.............. 18-34 35-49 50-64 65+ WHITE..... Men Wom Wht Blk 72% 23 6 60% 35 5 58% 35 6 77% 19 4 59% 35 6 61% 33 6 55% 39 5 57% 35 7 RELIGION................. Wht Evang Prot Cath None ATTEND SRVCS Weekly Less 31% 62 7 33% 57 10 54% 42 4 54% 40 6 83% 12 5 69% 26 5 5 18. Do you support or oppose banning abortion after a fetal heartbeat is detectable, which is usually around 6 weeks of pregnancy? Support Oppose DK/NA Support Oppose DK/NA Support Oppose DK/NA Tot Rep Dem Ind Men Wom WHITE...... COLLEGE DEG Yes No 39% 52 9 55% 39 5 20% 71 9 38% 53 8 40% 50 10 38% 54 7 38% 57 6 38% 51 10 AGE IN YRS.............. 18-34 35-49 50-64 65+ WHITE..... Men Wom Wht Blk 37% 59 4 39% 51 9 38% 54 8 44% 47 9 40% 51 9 39% 52 9 42% 48 10 37% 56 7 RELIGION................. Wht Evang Prot Cath None ATTEND SRVCS Weekly Less 55% 38 6 53% 39 8 47% 44 9 48% 44 8 23% 69 8 36% 56 8 6