Academic

Information Is Power

By David S. Cohen

NARAL released a poll today showing that when women learn about Senator John McCain’s voting record on reproductive rights, he loses a significant number of independent and pro-choice-Republican supporters.  Pretty easy take-away for the Obama campaign on this one!

Using data from his firm’s survey of 1,788 likely women voters in states including Florida, Michigan, Ohio, and Pennsylvania, Quinlan says that Obama gained 13 points among pro-choice independent women and 9 points among pro-choice Republican women once they were presented with what the pollsters called “a balanced description of the candidates’ respective positions on choice.”

When women surveyed were simply asked for whom they would vote if the presidential election were held today, 47 percent named Obama and 45 percent McCain, Quinlan says. But after being read the description of the candidates’ positions, 53 percent said they would vote for Obama; 40 percent for McCain.

H/T: Reproductive Rights Prof Blog.

- David S. Cohen

Full post as published by Feminist Law Professors on June 17, 2008 (boomark / email).