Marquette Law School National Poll on Political Topics

The Marquette Law School Poll will release the results of its national survey of public opinion over two days, Sept. 21-22. Although a number of the programs offered in the Law School’s Lubar Center have resumed “in person,” these national results continue to be released only online, via written releases and video conversations between poll director Charles Franklin and Alan Borsuk, senior fellow in law and public policy.

On Wednesday, Sept. 21, the Marquette Law School Poll will release results pertaining to public opinion about the U.S. Supreme Court. The survey looks at reactions to the Court’s major decisions in June as well as opinion about the direction of the Court over time and perception of the justices. With the October 2022 term of the Court about to begin, the poll also asks about a number of cases to be argued in the near future. This is the 10th installment in a series of nationwide surveys, begun in 2019, measuring public understanding and opinion of the nation’s highest court.

The second release, on Thursday, Sept. 22, will concern findings of the Marquette Law School Poll’s national survey of policy preferences and political topics. This release will examine public opinion across the country on abortion policy, student loan forgiveness, laws on concealed carry of handguns, political engagement, and favorability of a number of public figures, including President Joe Biden, former President Donald Trump, former Vice President Mike Pence, and Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis. The survey also looks at opinions about other potential 2024 presidential contestants.

Discussions will be available via the “Watch Now” button above. Each video and written release and corresponding data will be available at 6 a.m. ET (5 a.m. CT) on the Marquette Law School Poll website.

Further details about each day’s release are set forth below.

National poll on the U.S. Supreme Court – Wednesday, September 21

The new Marquette Law School Poll Supreme Court survey will report on national public opinion concerning the Court’s June rulings on abortion and on Second Amendment rights. Past decisions by the Court on same-sex marriage and federal statutory protection of LGBT rights against job discrimination are also the topics of survey questions. The survey also asks about upcoming cases concerning affirmative action in college admissions and whether business owners’ religious beliefs can appropriately justify refusing some services to gay people.

The survey continues to examine public approval of how the Court is handling its job, confidence in the Court as an institution, views of the justices, public perception of the Court’s ideological balance, and perceptions of recent shifts on the Court. 

National poll on political topics – Thursday, September 22

The same national survey will form the basis of a second release the next day, focusing on preferences among potential policies about abortion, support for concealed carry of handguns, and student loan forgiveness. The poll asks about motivation to vote and likelihood of voting in the November midterm elections.

The poll continues to monitor views of a number of public figures including Trump, Pence, and DeSantis, along with opinion of Biden and a possible Trump candidacy in 2024. The survey includes trends in confidence/doubt about the accuracy of the 2020 presidential election and how that is related to other political views.