A survey conducted by Public Policy Polling (PPP) this March highlights how abortion rights could be a critical factor in this fall’s Lieutenant Governor race.
According to the survey, both Republican candidates Hal Weatherman and Jim O’Neill (who are competing against each other in a May 14 runoff) currently lead Democratic nominee Rachel Hunt by three points (37% Republican / 34% Hunt / 29% unsure) in a very undefined race.
However, when voters are informed that Hunt supports reproductive healthcare, including access to abortion, while Weatherman and O’Neill support further limiting access, the race quickly realigns and Hunt leads Weatherman by 8 points (45% Hunt / 37% Weatherman / 19% undecided) and O’Neill by 6 points (43% Hunt / 37% O’Neill / 20% undecided).
The poll also found that North Carolina voters oppose the 12-week abortion ban passed by Republicans last summer by a 13-point margin (49% oppose / 36% support) and that they are less likely to vote for candidates who support it (42% less likely / 27% more likely).
The poll results underscore what has been seen repeatedly since the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade in the summer of 2022: abortion rights are extremely popular and a winning issue at the ballot box.
