Poll Watch Daily

Two divisive issues explored in the Pew Research Center’s political typology study — which went beyond traditional measures of Republicans, Democrats and independents to look at differences and similarities in each of their subgroups — were abortion and gay marriage. (Here’s the section of the report that has the findings on these two issues).

Overall, Pew’s polling finds that a majority of Americans (54 percent) believe that abortion should be legal in most or all cases while 42 percent say it should be illegal in most or all cases. The divisions on abortion comes more between Republicans and those independents who support them on other matters, and within the ranks of Democrats.

What the study finds on abortion is that while Republicans are unified in opposition, they do not have the support of those independents who agree with them on other issues, like the deficit, a finding that illustrates the risks for Republican candidates who highlight social and moral issues.

(A Gallup poll conducted April 15-20 said social issues and moral values ranked third among four priorities for Republicans, with 15 percent choosing it compared to 37 percent who cited government spending and power, and 36 percent who chose business and the economy. National Security and foreign affairs came in last. Social issues and moral values ranked third even among self- described conservatives.)

Among Republicans, 72 percent of Staunch Conservatives and 64 percent of Main Street Republicans opposed abortion.

But among independents, Libertarians, who strongly side with Republicans on the importance of reducing the deficit and in citing it as the issue they worry about most, say abortion should be legal in most or all cases by a solid majority (58 percent). Disaffecteds, who lean Republican on other issues, say abortion should be legal in most or all cases by a 48 percent to 43 percent margin. Seventy-five percent of Post-Moderns, who lean Democratic and share many of the same social issue views as Libertarians, believe abortion should be legal.

The divide among Democrats comes between Solid Liberals, and two groups that show a strain of social conservatism, particularly among blacks.

Among Democrats, 84 percent of Solid Liberals say abortion should be legal in most or all cases, but support for that position among Hard-Pressed Democrats is much lower at 54 percent. And New Coalition Democrats, who are made up of equal numbers of blacks, Hispanics and whites, say that abortion should be illegal in all or most cases by 51 percent to 40 percent.

Americans overall are more closely divided on gay marriage, although polls over the last few months show that support for it has been growing and, in some surveys, commanded a majority.

A Pew poll conducted Feb. 22-March 1 put opposition at 46 percent compared to 45 percent who support gay marriage. However, that was a change from 2009 when 54 percent were against letting gays and lesbians get legally married, and 37 percent supported their right to do so.

Again, Republicans are united on the issue with 85 percent of Staunch Conservatives and 72 percent of Main Street Republicans opposing the right of gays and lesbians to marry.

But among independents, opposition is far less among Libertarians (they are opposed to gay marriage by 45 percent to 43 percent). Opposition to gay marriage is higher among Disaffected (52 percent) but comes nowhere close to Republican levels. Eighty percent of Post-Moderns support gay marriage.

As with abortion, the issue of gay marriage divides the Democrats. Eighty-five percent of Solid Liberals support it compared to 57 percent of Hard-Pressed Democrats and New Coalition Democrats who oppose it by majorities of 57 percent and 51 percent, respectively.

One question which does seem to produce a rough consensus across most of the subgroups of Republicans, Democrats and independents is whether government should play a role in protecting morality.

Overall, 54 percent of Americans believe the government is already too involved in these issues while 35 percent say it should play a more active role. The only subgroup that supports a more active role are New Coalition Democrats among whom that view is shared by 54 percent. For all the other groups, pluralities or majorities — ranging from 44 percent to 77 percent — say the government is too involved in these issues. (Unsurprising, the group which feels most strongly that way are Libertarians, 77 percent of whom take that position).

To see other analyses of what the political typology study says about issues, see Mark Blumenthal’s post on Pollster.com about what the typologies say about foreign policy and why President Obama’s post-bin Laden bounce in the polls won’t last, and my post about the deficit.

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