NBC News poll shows nation’s demographic divides on abortion

The issue of abortion has come roaring back in today’s political news — with a Texas law essentially outlawing almost all abortions in the state that went into effect at midnight.

And the issue has the potential to upend politics in 2022 and 2024 — with the U.S. Supreme Court taking up a case that could overturn the landmark 1973 Roe v. Wade decision.

New numbers from our most recent NBC poll show a majority of Americans — 54 percent — believe that abortion should be legal in all or most cases.

That includes clear majorities of women, young Americans, whites with college degrees and those living in the suburbs.

But majorities and pluralities of evangelical Christians, rural Americans, older Americans and southerners say that abortion should be illegal in all or most cases.

Here are the numbers:

• All adults: 54 percent legal, 42 percent illegal (was 44 percent legal, 54 percent illegal in 2003)
• 18-34: 65 percent legal, 32 percent illegal
• 65+: 48 percent-49 percent
• 18-44: 60 percent-37 percent
• 60+: 48 percent-49 percent
• Whites: 51 percent-46 percent
• Blacks: 55 percent-39 percent
• Latinos: 63 percent-35 percent
• Men: 49 percent-47 percent
• Women: 59 percent-38 percent
• Whites with college: 60 percent-37 percent
• Whites without college: 46 percent-50 percent
• Urban: 65 percent-34 percent
• Suburban: 54 percent-42 percent
• Rural: 33 percent-63 percent
• Northeast: 65 percent-34 percent
• Midwest: 49 percent-48 percent
• South: 43 percent-52 percent
• West: 65 percent-31 percent
• Evangelicals: 26 percent-70 percent
• Non-evangelicals: 65 percent-32 percent

One other thing to consider in this debate: Much of the country appears to be in the middle on abortion, with our poll finding 23 percent of Americans saying abortion should be legal “most of the time,” and another 34 percent saying it should be illegal “with exceptions.”

By contrast, 31 percent believe abortion should “always” be legal, and 8 percent say it should be illegal “without any exceptions.”

So there is a middle in this debate.

It’s just that our present political system — and our political parties — can’t handle the middle anymore, especially on abortion.