On the heels of the high court overturning the landmark abortion case Roe v. Wade in late June, a new Fox News survey finds a record number of registered voters disapproving of the U.S. Supreme Court.
The poll, released Thursday, finds 55% of voters discontent with the court’s job performance. That’s a 7-point jump from June, shortly before the ruling, and up 24 points from two years ago in July 2020. This is the first time over half have disapproved since Fox began asking the question in 2006 -- at that time, 50% approved, 30% disapproved.
Compared to two years ago, those with the largest increases in disapproval are liberals (+39 percentage points), Democrats (+33), moderates (+33), suburban women (+32), independents (+32), and suburban Whites (+32).
While the court’s overall approval rating held relatively steady since the start of summer (39% in June vs. 41% now), it’s down 13 points since July 2020. Plus, those that were unsure two years ago have gained more clarity: 15% were uncertain of the court then and 14% in June 2022, but just 4% feel that way now.
"When it comes to judging the Court, Americans have tended to be positive though not very attentive," says Republican pollster Daron Shaw, who conducts the Fox News Poll alongside Democrat Chris Anderson. "But occasionally you get a landmark ruling like Dobbs, and people tune in. Clearly, opinion concerning the Court has polarized, which concerns those who think its legitimacy is connected to the perception that it’s impartial and non-political."
Sixty percent disapprove of the Supreme Court’s decision to overturn Roe, relatively unchanged since July.
Republicans, very conservatives, and White evangelical Christians are among the only groups who are satisfied with the ruling.
Overall, 38% approve of the ruling.
Midterm Issues
Inflation remains at the top of the issue list, with 41% citing it as the most important for their vote. But with only three months left until Election Day, abortion has emerged as the second most important issue, albeit far behind rising prices at 14%. There is a three-way tie between border security, climate change, and guns (7% apiece) for third.
In June, abortion was in third place at 10%, behind guns (12%) and inflation (41%).
Overall, voters split on their ballot choice for the midterms: 41% for the Democrat vs. 41% for the Republican. Inflation voters go for the Republican congressional candidate by 29 points, while abortion voters prefer the Democrat by 36 points.
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This divide makes sense, as voters are 9 points more likely to think Democrats rather than Republicans would do a better job handling abortion, while it’s the opposite for inflation -- where voters are 15 points more likely to trust the GOP.
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"There is no doubt the overturning of Roe provides Democrats with a powerful issue," says Anderson. "Inflation could get worse, or it could get better by Election Day, and its origins and solutions are highly debatable. But the reason abortion rights have been taken away is not debatable, and it is crystal clear to voters which party wants to protect abortion rights, and which does not."
Conducted August 6-9, 2022 under the joint direction of Beacon Research (D) and Shaw & Company Research (R), this Fox News Poll includes interviews with 1,002 registered voters nationwide who were randomly selected from a national voter file and spoke with live interviewers on both landlines and cellphones. The total sample has a margin of sampling error of plus or minus three percentage points.
