Poll: Americans want Roe v. Wade upheld, not gay marriage

A majority of Americans say President Bush's next choice for an opening on the Supreme Court should be willing to uphold the landmark court decision protecting abortion rights, an Associated Press poll has found. However, they don't support another controversial cause: the fight for gay marriage. The poll found that 59% say Bush should choose a nominee who would uphold the 1973 Roe v. Wade decision legalizing abortion. About three in 10--31%--said they want a nominee who would overturn the decision, according to the poll conducted for the AP by Ipsos-Public Affairs. The preference for Supreme Court nominees who would uphold Roe v. Wade could be found among both men and women, most age groups, most income groups, and people living in urban, suburban, and rural areas. Fewer than half of Republicans, evangelicals, and those over 65 said they favored a nominee who would uphold the abortion ruling. Poll respondents opposed same-sex marriage, 61% to 35%, with young adults between 18 and 29 about evenly split. Recent polls have indicated people are about evenly divided on the question of civil unions, which would provide many of the same legal protections as gay marriage.