Abortion Attacks Are Tanking Texas GOP Approval Ratings

Another day, another attack on abortion rights from the Texas GOP. On Monday, the all-Republican Texas Supreme Court refused to resume proceedings on a Planned Parenthood lawsuit challenging S.B. 8 — delaying one of the many legal challenges filed against Texas Republicans’ illegal abortion ban. Because the U.S. Supreme Court also refused to take action and block the ban before it took effect, S.B. 8 has been law in Texas for more than a month now — and as Texans await the results of a spate of legal challenges to the ban, S.B. 8 continues to bring harm to people across the state.

However, the deeply unpopular attacks are also taking a toll on GOP approval ratings. Failed Gov. Greg Abbott saw an all-time low in his approval ratings in early September, and a month later, those lows have held. A recent Quinnipiac poll put Abbott’s approval rating at only 44% — and his handling of abortion received the lowest approval of any issue, with notably only 32% of independents approving of Abbott’s handling of abortion issues.

These results should come as no surprise, because a clear, strong majority of Americans oppose overturning Roe v. Wade — and as a recent NPR poll showed, almost six out of ten Americans oppose the central provisions of S.B. 8. Widespread support for abortion rights was on full display over the weekend, as Women’s Marches across Texas and around the country rallied people by the thousands in the fight to defend abortion access. As we await a federal ruling in the Justice Department’s attempt to block this ban, Texas Democrats continue to stand with Texans and abortion advocates, and will keep fighting to protect our communities, our health care, and our constitutional rights.

Texas Democratic Party Co-Executive Director Hannah Roe Beck issued the following statement:

“It’s been more than a month since Texas Republicans’ illegal abortion ban took
effect — moving our state one step closer to a GOP-driven dystopia, and putting the health and wellbeing of millions of Texans in harm’s way. But that attack is facing resistance on all fronts. I’m incredibly grateful to everyone in Texas and across the country who rallied at a Women’s March over the weekend — and I know our voices will continue to carry, because we refuse to allow this hateful ban to stand.

“A clear, strong majority of Americans want Roe v. Wade to remain the law of the land. And a clear, strong majority of Americans believe Texas Republicans’ abortion ban is wrong. It’s no wonder Greg Abbott’s approval ratings have plummeted — because Texans are sick and tired of watching our governor take a hatchet to our rights and freedoms. Texas Democrats will keep fighting alongside advocates to bring an end to this shameful ban, and we will keep working every single day to defeat Greg Abbott next November. Because Texas deserves better.”