National Poll Shows Support for Defunding Planned Parenthood

PITTSBURGH, Dec. 2, 2015 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- With Ohio on the verge of defunding Planned Parenthood and U.S. Senate Republicans poised to vote on a similar measure, the Robert Morris University Polling Institute has new data from a nationwide poll that shows the public supporting GOP plans to strip government funds from the organization. 

Previous polling on the issue of funding Planned Parenthood has shown majority support for government funding of Planned Parenthood. But the RMU poll, conducted before a gunman killed three people at a Planned Parenthood clinic in Colorado, has a very different result: 53.3 percent support defunding Planned Parenthood, while 31.5 percent oppose it. 

The poll asked respondents if they would support or oppose a plan by U.S. Congressional Republicans to shift Planned Parenthood funds to community clinics that perform the same services but do not perform abortions. Just over half, 53.3 percent, strongly or somewhat support the plan while 31.5 percent are strongly or somewhat opposed.

Philip Harold, RMU professor of political science, said RMU's polls shows different results than other national polls because the question is worded more clearly. Instead of simply asking, "Do you think all federal funding for Planned Parenthood should be cut off?," the RMU poll asked instead: "Congressional Republicans favor shifting Planned Parenthood federal funds to community clinics that perform the same services, but do not perform abortions. Would you say you support or oppose this plan?" 

As awareness of the recent controversial Planned Parenthood videos goes up, so does support for the Congressional Republicans' plan. Those who indicate they are very aware (60 percent) were more likely to support the plan than those who said they were somewhat aware (54.3 percent) and somewhat unaware (41.7 percent).

Democrats (47.3 percent) are more likely than Republicans (15.4 percent) and Independents (33 percent) to oppose the Congressional Republicans' plan.  However, 42.7 percent of Democrats in the RMU poll support the GOP plan.

METHODOLOGY:  The Poll sampled opinions of 1,000 online surveys nationally and has an associated margin for error of +/- 3.0 percent at a 95 percent confidence level. It was conducted October 10-15, 2015.

ABOUT ROBERT MORRIS UNIVERSITY:  Robert Morris University, founded in 1921, is a private, four-year institution with an enrollment of approximately 5,400 undergraduate and graduate students. The university offers 60 undergraduate and 20 graduate programs. Learn more at www.rmu.edu.

SOURCE Robert Morris University

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