New Midterm Polling: 81% of Battleground State Voters Support National Paid Leave Policy
/New data finds that candidates opposing both paid leave and abortion rights hand their opponent a 35-point edge overall and a 56-point edge with suburban women
Washington, DC — New polling from Paid Leave for All Action and Global Strategy Group (GSG) highlights the depth and intensity of support for paid leave, particularly in the wake of the U.S. Supreme Court overturning Roe v. Wade: 81% of voters in midterm battleground states support paid leave, a double-digit increase in support over the last year. One-third of battleground voters have become more supportive of paid leave policies in the months since the Court struck down Roe. The poll surveyed voters in Arizona, Georgia, North Carolina, Nevada, Pennsylvania, and Wisconsin.
“Voters have always supported paid leave, but over the last year that support and urgency has magnified,” said Dawn Huckelbridge, Director of Paid Leave for All Action. “In the aftermath of Dobbs, candidates who fight for both families and freedom will be rewarded at the ballot box. Paid leave is critical to every working family, but particularly the women and women of color most impacted the last two years. This data doesn’t just tell us that paid leave remains an overwhelmingly popular policy — it tells us that paid leave is a motivator for progressive base voters and persuadable women voters across the political spectrum.”
Other key findings from the poll include:
Candidates who oppose abortion rights and paid leave take a double hit: In a generic ballot, a Republican who opposes both abortion rights and paid leave gives their opponent a 35 point edge overall — and 56 point advantage with suburban women.
Pivotal Senate races can be won or lost on paid leave: When voters learn that a GOP candidate opposes paid leave and the Democratic candidate supports it, the Democratic candidate wins by 14 points. The margins are even larger among key persuadable groups — they win by 31 points among non-college women, and 28 points among suburban women and independents.
Paid leave even strengthens arguments about the consequences of abortion bans: In a simulated debate between those defending the overturning of Roe and those maligning politicians who ban abortion, paid leave can be a difference maker. When you point out that the same politicians who are banning abortion are also denying Americans paid leave, suburban women are seven points more likely to pick a candidate’s side and swing voters are 10 points more likely.
Support for paid leave is bipartisan, and enthusiasm exceeds that of other popular Biden administration initiatives: Nearly three-quarters of independents and 68% Republicans support paid family, parental, and medical leave. The 81% overall support for paid leave exceeds support for other high-profile initiatives, like student debt forgiveness (51% support) and raising taxes on large corporations (72%).
“Paid leave is a reproductive freedom issue,” NARAL Pro-Choice America President Mini Timmaraju said. “If, when, and how we start a family is one of the most consequential decisions any of us can make in our lives — and what we choose fundamentally changes our future. Giving people access to the care they need to make the decision that's right for them, and the support to be successful in whatever they choose is fulfilling the American promise of life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.”
The poll surveyed 1,006 voters, including 309 suburban women, across the six battleground states from August 24th-31st, 2022. There’s a confidence interval of +/- 3.1%. More details are available here.
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