Multiple polls from 2025 and 2026 have shown gains in pro-life sentiment.
Last week, the Public Religion Research Institute (PRRI) released its annual poll on sanctity-of-life issues. It surveyed more than 21,000 adults between February and December 2025. The results contain some good news for pro-lifers. PRRI found that the percentage of Americans who felt that abortion should be legal in either “all cases” or “most cases” fell by two percentage points since 2024. Interestingly, there was a slight uptick in support for legal abortion among self-identified Democrats and a slight decrease in support for abortion among independents and Republicans
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The demographic breakdown was fairly predictable. White Evangelicals were the religious demographic most likely to oppose abortion — with only 27 percent stating that abortion should be legal in all or most cases. Republicans of all ages were also likely to oppose legal abortion. Interestingly, the political demographic that was most likely to oppose abortion were young Republican men aged 18–29. Only 32 percent said abortion should be legal in all or most cases.
The poll also found gains in pro-life sentiment among certain religious groups. The percentage of white Catholics who felt that abortion should be legal in all or most cases fell by five percentage points. Similarly, broad support for legal abortion fell by four percentage points among mainline Protestants and three percentage points among Hispanic Catholics. Considering the numerous reports of increasing church attendance, especially among young people, these trends are worth following.
During the past year, multiple national surveys on the issue of abortion have shows a slight gain in pro-life sentiment. These include polls conducted by Pew, Gallup, and Associated Press/NORC. This is unsurprising. In the aftermath of the Dobbs decision, pro-life laws were subject to a great deal of misleading coverage by the mainstream media. Furthermore, in 2024, many Democratic candidates, including Democratic presidential nominee Kamala Harris, emphasized her support for legal abortion. This slight rebound in pro-life sentiment is good news for pro-lifers as we continue our efforts to build a culture of life.
LifeNews Note: Michael J. New is an Assistant Professor of Practice at The Catholic University of America and a Senior Associate Scholar at the Charlotte Lozier Institute. Follow him on Twitter @Michael_J_New.
