Marquette Law School Supreme Court Poll November 15-22, 2022

Court items only

(Percentages are rounded to whole numbers for reporting of results. Frequencies have been rounded to whole numbers but percentages are calculated based on non-integer weighted sample sizes.)

Results for survey items among all respondents are presented here (unless otherwise indicated). Please note that some questions are only asked of particular groups of respondents. In these instances, the row “NA’s” includes the number and percent of total respondents omitted from the question. These omitted cases are ignored when calculating the “Valid” and “Cumulative” percent columns.

B2: Supreme Court approval

Overall, how much do you approve or disapprove of the way the US Supreme Court is handling its job?
	Frequency	Percent	Valid Percent	Cumulative Percent
Strongly approve	85	8	8	8
Somewhat approve	359	36	36	44
Somewhat disapprove	332	33	33	77
Strongly disapprove	226	23	23	100
Skipped/Ref	2	0	0	100

B2: Supreme Court approval, 2-cat

Overall, how much do you approve or disapprove of the way the US Supreme Court is handling its job?
	Frequency	Percent	Valid Percent	Cumulative Percent
Approve	444	44	44	44
Disapprove	558	56	56	100
Skipped/Ref	2	0	0	100

C1: Confidence in SCOTUS

[The US Supreme Court] Here is a list of institutions in American society. How much confidence do you have in each one?
	Frequency	Percent	Valid Percent	Cumulative Percent
A great deal	80	8	8	8
Quite a lot	220	22	22	30
Some	365	36	36	66
Very little	236	23	23	90
None at all	102	10	10	100

C4: Confidence in State Supreme Court

[Your state Supreme Court or highest court in your state] Here is a list of institutions in American society. How much confidence do you have in each one?
	Frequency	Percent	Valid Percent	Cumulative Percent
A great deal	88	9	9	9
Quite a lot	271	27	27	36
Some	406	40	40	76
Very little	171	17	17	93
None at all	68	7	7	100

C8: Justice nomination majority

What is your guess as to whether a majority of the current US Supreme Court Justices were appointed by Democratic or Republican presidents?
	Frequency	Percent	Valid Percent	Cumulative Percent
Definitely a majority appointed by Democratic presidents	40	4	4	4
Probably a majority appointed by Democratic presidents	202	20	20	24
Probably a majority appointed by Republican presidents	402	40	40	64
Definitely a majority appointed by Republican presidents	356	35	35	100
Skipped/Ref	4	0	0	100

C11: Heard about 2nd Amendment case

[A Supreme Court decision on the right to possess a gun outside the home] Here are some recent topics in the news. How much have you heard or read about each of these?
	Frequency	Percent	Valid Percent	Cumulative Percent
A lot	252	25	25	25
A little	472	47	47	72
Nothing at all	279	28	28	100
Skipped/Ref	1	0	0	100

C12: Heard about affirmative action case

[A Supreme Court case concerning the use of race in college admissions] Here are some recent topics in the news. How much have you heard or read about each of these?
	Frequency	Percent	Valid Percent	Cumulative Percent
A lot	204	20	20	20
A little	455	45	45	66
Nothing at all	343	34	34	100
Skipped/Ref	2	0	0	100

C13: Heard about Dobbs

[A Supreme Court decision on abortion] Here are some recent topics in the news. How much have you heard or read about each of these?
	Frequency	Percent	Valid Percent	Cumulative Percent
A lot	767	76	76	76
A little	203	20	20	97
Nothing at all	32	3	3	100
Skipped/Ref	1	0	0	100

D1: SCOTUS ideology

[The US Supreme Court] In general, would you describe each of the following as…?
	Frequency	Percent	Valid Percent	Cumulative Percent
Very conservative	247	25	25	25
Somewhat conservative	363	36	36	61
Moderate	318	32	32	92
Somewhat liberal	56	6	6	98
Very liberal	19	2	2	100
Skipped/Ref	1	0	0	100

D6: Should Court consider opinion

Should justices of the Supreme Court consider public opinion about a case when making decisions or should they ignore public opinion?
	Frequency	Percent	Valid Percent	Cumulative Percent
Should consider public opinion	611	61	61	61
Should ignore public opinion	390	39	39	100
Skipped/Ref	3	0	0	100

D7: Increase # of justices

[Increase the number of justices on the US Supreme Court] How much do you favor or oppose the following proposals affecting the Supreme Court?
	Frequency	Percent	Valid Percent	Cumulative Percent
Strongly favor	129	13	13	13
Somewhat favor	346	34	34	47
Somewhat oppose	249	25	25	72
Strongly oppose	279	28	28	100
Skipped/Ref	2	0	0	100

H1: Affirmative action

[Rule that colleges cannot use race as one of several factors in deciding which applicants to admit.] Do you favor or oppose the following possible future Supreme Court decisions, or haven’t you heard enough about this to have an opinion?
	Frequency	Percent	Valid Percent	Cumulative Percent
Heard nothing at all	184	18	18	18
Heard of but not enough for an opinion	242	24	24	42
Favor	414	41	41	84
Oppose	162	16	16	100
Skipped/Ref	2	0	0	100

H1: (those with opinions only)

[THOSE WITH OPINIONS ONLY] [Rule that colleges cannot use race as one of several factors in deciding which applicants to admit.] Do you favor or oppose the following possible future Supreme Court decisions, or haven’t you heard enough about this to have an opinion?
	Frequency	Percent	Valid Percent	Cumulative Percent
Favor	414	41	72	72
Oppose	162	16	28	100
(Missing)	428	43	NA	NA

H2: LGBTQ discrimination

[Decide that a business owner’s religious beliefs or free speech rights can justify refusing some services to gay people.] Do you favor or oppose the following possible future Supreme Court decisions, or haven’t you heard enough about this to have an opinion?
	Frequency	Percent	Valid Percent	Cumulative Percent
Heard nothing at all	200	20	20	20
Heard of but not enough for an opinion	148	15	15	35
Heard of and favor the decision	254	25	25	60
Heard of and oppose the decision	400	40	40	100
Skipped/Ref	2	0	0	100

H2: (those with opinions only)

[THOSE WITH OPINIONS ONLY] [Decide that a business owner’s religious beliefs or free speech rights can justify refusing some services to gay people.] Do you favor or oppose the following possible future Supreme Court decisions, or haven’t you heard enough about this to have an opinion?
	Frequency	Percent	Valid Percent	Cumulative Percent
Heard of and favor the decision	254	25	39	39
Heard of and oppose the decision	400	40	61	100
(Missing)	350	35	NA	NA

H3: Independent legislature theory

[Rule that under the Constitution, the state legislatures have the power to regulate federal elections and are not subject to review by state courts.] Do you favor or oppose the following possible future Supreme Court decisions, or haven’t you heard enough about this to have an opinion?
	Frequency	Percent	Valid Percent	Cumulative Percent
Heard nothing at all	423	42	42	42
Heard of but not enough for an opinion	283	28	28	70
Heard of and favor the decision	75	7	7	78
Heard of and oppose the decision	220	22	22	100
Skipped/Ref	2	0	0	100

H3: (those with opinions only)

[THOSE WITH OPINIONS ONLY] [Rule that under the Constitution, the state legislatures have the power to regulate federal elections and are not subject to review by state courts.] Do you favor or oppose the following possible future Supreme Court decisions, or haven’t you heard enough about this to have an opinion?
	Frequency	Percent	Valid Percent	Cumulative Percent
Heard of and favor the decision	75	7	25	25
Heard of and oppose the decision	220	22	75	100
(Missing)	709	71	NA	NA

J1: Overturn Roe

[In 2022 the Supreme Court overturned Roe versus Wade, thus striking down the 1973 decision that made abortion legal in all 50 states.] How much do you favor or oppose this decision?
	Frequency	Percent	Valid Percent	Cumulative Percent
Strongly favor	201	20	20	20
Somewhat favor	134	13	13	33
Somewhat oppose	143	14	14	48
Strongly oppose	522	52	52	100
Skipped/Ref	3	0	0	100

J2: Expand 2nd Amendment

[In 2022 the Supreme Court ruled that the 2nd Amendment right to “keep and bear arms” protects the right to carry a gun outside the home.] How much do you favor or oppose this decision?
	Frequency	Percent	Valid Percent	Cumulative Percent
Strongly favor	366	36	36	36
Somewhat favor	279	28	28	64
Somewhat oppose	192	19	19	83
Strongly oppose	165	16	16	100
Skipped/Ref	1	0	0	100

J3: Allow gerrymandering

[In 2019 the Supreme Court ruled that federal courts had no role to play in adjudicating challenges to partisan gerrymandering, leaving this to state courts.] How much do you favor or oppose this decision?
	Frequency	Percent	Valid Percent	Cumulative Percent
Strongly favor	104	10	10	10
Somewhat favor	418	42	42	52
Somewhat oppose	341	34	34	86
Strongly oppose	132	13	13	99
Skipped/Ref	9	1	1	100

J4: Protect same-sex marriage

In 2015 the Supreme Court ruled that the Constitution guarantees a right to same-sex marriage. How much do you favor or oppose this decision?
	Frequency	Percent	Valid Percent	Cumulative Percent
Strongly favor	505	50	50	50
Somewhat favor	217	22	22	72
Somewhat oppose	114	11	11	83
Strongly oppose	166	17	17	100
Skipped/Ref	3	0	0	100

J5: LGBT workplace protections

In 2020 the Supreme Court ruled that a federal civil rights law protects gay and transgender workers from workplace discrimination. How much do you favor or oppose this decision?
	Frequency	Percent	Valid Percent	Cumulative Percent
Strongly favor	588	59	59	59
Somewhat favor	244	24	24	83
Somewhat oppose	118	12	12	95
Strongly oppose	52	5	5	100
Skipped/Ref	2	0	0	100

K1: Abortion legality

Do you think abortion should be legal in all cases, legal in most cases, illegal in most cases, or illegal in all cases?
	Frequency	Percent	Valid Percent	Cumulative Percent
Legal in all cases	296	29	29	29
Legal in most cases	364	36	36	66
Illegal in most cases	257	26	26	91
Illegal in all cases	87	9	9	100
Skipped/Ref	1	0	0	100

K2: Dobbs author

Which justice wrote the Supreme Court’s opinion in the Dobbs case, this past June, overturning the 1973 ruling in Roe v. Wade that had made abortion legal in all 50 states?
	Frequency	Percent	Valid Percent	Cumulative Percent
Samuel Alito	252	25	25	25
Amy Coney Barrett	88	9	9	34
Stephen Breyer	59	6	6	40
Neil Gorsuch	48	5	5	45
Elena Kagan	20	2	2	47
Brett Kavanaugh	111	11	11	58
John Roberts	119	12	12	69
Sonia Sotomayor	49	5	5	74
Clarence Thomas	251	25	25	99
Skipped/Ref	6	1	1	100

INT1: internet use

Do you use the internet or email, at least occasionally?
	Frequency	Percent	Valid Percent	Cumulative Percent
Yes	1004	100	100	100

Z1: Party ID

Generally speaking, do you usually think of yourself as a Republican, a Democrat, or an Independent?
	Frequency	Percent	Valid Percent	Cumulative Percent
Republican	272	27	27	27
Democrat	317	32	32	59
Independent	259	26	26	85
Other/No preference	153	15	15	100
Skipped/Ref	2	0	0	100

Z2A: Party ID strenth

Would you call yourself a strong [Republican/Democrat] or a not very strong [Republican/Democrat]?
	Frequency	Percent	Valid Percent	Cumulative Percent
Strong	360	36	61	61
Not very strong	229	23	39	100
(Missing)	415	41	NA	NA

Z2B: Party ID lean

Do you think of yourself as closer to the Republican Party or to the Democratic Party?
	Frequency	Percent	Valid Percent	Cumulative Percent
Republican	111	11	27	27
Democratic	145	14	35	62
Neither	157	16	38	100
(Missing)	591	59	NA	NA

Z3: religious service attendance

Aside from weddings and funerals, how often do you attend religious services?
	Frequency	Percent	Valid Percent	Cumulative Percent
More than once a week	86	9	9	9
Once a week	137	14	14	22
Once or twice a month	74	7	7	30
A few times a year	158	16	16	45
Seldom	245	24	24	70
Never	305	30	30	100

Z4: born-again or evangelical

Would you describe yourself as a "born-again" or evangelical Christian, or not?
	Frequency	Percent	Valid Percent	Cumulative Percent
Yes, would	273	27	27	27
No, would not	731	73	73	100

Z5: political ideology

Generally speaking, how would you describe your political views?
	Frequency	Percent	Valid Percent	Cumulative Percent
Very conservative	117	12	12	12
Somewhat conservative	231	23	23	35
Moderate	380	38	38	72
Somewhat liberal	160	16	16	88
Very liberal	115	11	11	100
Skipped/Ref	2	0	0	100

Z6: talk to neighbors

During the last 12 months, how often did you talk with any of your neighbors?
	Frequency	Percent	Valid Percent	Cumulative Percent
Basically, every day	86	9	9	9
A few times a week	265	26	26	35
A few times a month	274	27	27	62
Once a month	110	11	11	73
Less than once a month	167	17	17	90
Not at all	103	10	10	100

Z7: volunteering

We are interested in volunteer activities for which people are not paid, except perhaps expenses.  In the last 12 months, have you done any volunteer activities through or for an organization?
	Frequency	Percent	Valid Percent	Cumulative Percent
Yes	273	27	27	27
No	730	73	73	100
Skipped/Ref	1	0	0	100

party ID, 5-cat

Party ID with leaners separate
	Frequency	Percent	Valid Percent	Cumulative Percent
Republican	272	27	27	27
Lean Republican	111	11	11	38
Independent	157	16	16	54
Lean Democrat	145	14	14	68
Democrat	317	32	32	100
Refused	2	0	0	100

party ID, leaners as partisans

Party ID with leaners included
	Frequency	Percent	Valid Percent	Cumulative Percent
Republican	383	38	38	38
Independent	157	16	16	54
Democrat	462	46	46	100
Refused	2	0	0	100

gender

sex
	Frequency	Percent	Valid Percent	Cumulative Percent
Male	474	47	47	47
Female	505	50	50	98
Another gender	8	1	1	98
Skipped/Ref	17	2	2	100

age

age, 4 categories
	Frequency	Percent	Valid Percent	Cumulative Percent
18-29	230	23	23	23
30-44	230	23	23	46
45-59	236	23	23	69
60+	308	31	31	100

education

education - 5 categories
	Frequency	Percent	Valid Percent	Cumulative Percent
Less than HS	96	10	10	10
HS graduate	284	28	28	38
Vocational/tech school/some college/ associates	270	27	27	65
Bachelor's degree	170	17	17	82
Post grad study/professional degree	182	18	18	100
(Missing)	2	0	NA	NA

income

income recode
	Frequency	Percent	Valid Percent	Cumulative Percent
Less than $30k	274	27	27	27
$30k to less than $50k	199	20	20	47
$50k to less than $75k	181	18	18	65
$75k to less than $100k	139	14	14	79
$100k or more	206	21	21	100
DK/NA/Ref	5	0	0	100

marital status

marital status
	Frequency	Percent	Valid Percent	Cumulative Percent
Married	446	44	44	44
Widowed	37	4	4	48
Divorced	121	12	12	60
Separated	30	3	3	63
Single, never married	276	27	27	91
Single, cohabitating	94	9	9	100
Skipped/Ref	1	0	0	100

race/ethnicity

race and hispanic origin
	Frequency	Percent	Valid Percent	Cumulative Percent
White	605	60	60	60
Black	119	12	12	72
Hispanic	167	17	17	89
Other/Multiple	86	9	9	97
Skipped/Ref	27	3	3	100

religious affiliation

religious identification
	Frequency	Percent	Valid Percent	Cumulative Percent
Born-again Protestant	193	19	19	19
Mainline Protestant	138	14	14	33
Roman Catholic	198	20	20	53
No religion	310	31	31	84
Other religion	163	16	16	100
Skipped/Ref	1	0	0	100