Washington Post-ABC News Poll

This ABC News/Washington Post poll was conducted by telephone October 31 - November 2, 2005, among a random national sample of 641 adults. The results have a four-point error margin. Fieldwork by TNS of Horsham, Pa.

*= less than 0.5 percent

34. On another subject, as you may know, Bush has nominated federal judge Samuel A. Alito to serve on the U.S. Supreme Court. Do you think the U.S. Senate should or should not confirm Alito's nomination to the Supreme Court?

            Should     Should not     No opinion
11/2/05       49           29             22

Compare to:

Roberts:
            Should     Should not     No opinion
9/11/05*      55           26             19
8/28/05       57           22             20
7/21/05       59           23             17
*as Chief Justice

Breyer:
            Should     Should not     No opinion
5/15/94       52           10             37

Thomas: 
                                    Wait and see (vol.)
            Should     Should not      /no opinion
10/14/91      59           28             14
10/13/91      56           29             15
10/12/91      50           29             20
10/9/91       47           23             30
10/8/91       50           25             24
9/15/91       63           24             14

35. Given what you know, do you think Alito is a (more) conservative nominee than you'd have liked, (less) conservative than you'd have liked, or about right?

            More     Less     About right     No opinion
11/2/05      29       10           44              17

Compare to:

Given what you know, do you think Roberts is a (more) conservative nominee than you'd have liked, (less) conservative than you'd have liked, or about right?

            More     Less     About right     No opinion
7/21/05      26        9           58               7

36. The Supreme Court legalized abortion 32 years ago in the ruling known as Roe versus Wade. If that case came before the court again, would you want Alito to vote to (uphold) Roe versus Wade, or vote to (overturn) it?

            Uphold     Overturn     No opinion
11/2/05       64          31              5

Compare to:

The Supreme Court legalized abortion 32 years ago in the ruling known as Roe versus Wade. If that case came before the court again, would you want Roberts to vote to (uphold) Roe versus Wade, or vote to (overturn) it?

            Uphold     Overturn     No opinion
8/28/05       60          33              7
7/21/05       65          32              4

37. Alito wrote a legal opinion saying a state can require a woman to notify her husband if she decides to have an abortion. Does knowing this make you more likely to (support), more likely to (oppose) or doesn't it make much difference in your opinion?

           More likely   More likely     No      No
           to support    to oppose      diff.   opin.
11/2/05         27           26          46       1