Electoral Folklore: An Empirical Examination of the Abortion Issue

For nearly a decade, the abortion issue has loomed large in American politics. City councilmen, state legislators, congressmen, presidents, and Supreme Court nominees are routinely asked their opinions on legalized abortion. Despite the controversy generated by pro-life and pro-choice interest groups, little is known regarding the issue's impact upon voting behavior. This study seeks to enhance that knowledge by empirically examining congressional general elections in order to assess the impact of the abortion issue.

We then review our finding that the abortion issue does not alter established voting patterns in these contests.