How much do Maine people want to fund Planned Parenthood?

National data show strong support for funding Planned Parenthood, but what do Maine people think?

A new poll from Hart Research demonstrates that Mainers want the group to receive federal funds. [You can see details about the poll’s sample and methodology below.]

Maine poll by Hart Research Associates

Maine poll by Hart Research Associates

Not only do 70% oppose defunding Planned Parenthood, but 55% strongly oppose defunding. A whopping 76% of women oppose defunding, as do 65% of men.

The possibility of a government shutdown to try to defund Planned Parenthood is extraordinarily unpopular. As this graph shows, 77% of Mainers oppose it, 61% strongly. Only 19% favor such a shutdown.

GOP hearings on Planned Parenthood came in response to misleading edited videos by a group called the Center for Medical Progress. But these are not trusted by Mainers.

As Hart reports:

Sixty-two percent (62%) of Maine voters express skepticism about the motivations of the Republican leadership in this matter, saying Republicans are conducting these hearings mainly because they are trying to push a political agenda. By contrast, only 27% of voters believe that Republicans are seeking these hearings because “they have legitimate concerns about Planned Parenthood and want to learn the truth.”

Maine people see Planned Parenthood positively and want the group to keep receiving federal funds, which are given as reimbursements for particular medical services like pap smears, breast exams and birth control.

From September 18 to 21, 2015, Hart Research Associates conducted surveys among a randomly selected statewide cross section of 501 voters in Maine. The interviews were conducted by telephone, including landlines, cell phones, and VOIP connections. The statistical margin of error associated with random samples of 500 respondents is ±4.5 percentage points.

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Amy Fried

About Amy Fried

Amy Fried loves Maine's sense of community and the wonderful mix of culture and outdoor recreation. She loves politics in three ways: as an analytical political scientist, a devoted political junkie and a citizen who believes politics matters for people's lives. Fried is Professor of Political Science at the University of Maine. Her views do not reflect those of her employer or any group to which she belongs.