Home > Press Coverage > PunditFact Rates Ralph Reed’s Comments about Millennials and Abortion “False,” Based on PRRI Data
PunditFact Rates Ralph Reed’s Comments about Millennials and Abortion “False,” Based on PRRI Data
03.11.2014

Last Sunday on NBC’s Meet the Press, conservative activist and chair of the Faith and Freedom Coalition Ralph Reed said Millennials (Americans ages 18 to 33) are “more pro-life than Baby Boomers and older Americans.” Political columnist Ron Fournier with National Journal quickly disagreed, arguing Millennials are equally pro-life as older Americans. After the broadcast, PunditFact endeavored to set the record straight and relies on PRRI data to do so.

The Public Religion Research Institute, an academic research group in Washington, noted a paradox around the pro-life/pro-choice labels.

“A significant number of Millennials identify with both,” said Daniel Cox, research director at the institute. “Sixty-five percent of Millennials claim the label ‘pro-life,’ compared to 74 percent who claim the label ‘pro-choice.’ ”

Still, at 65 percent, Millennials in that survey were less likely than other groups to identify themselves as pro-life.  Asked if “pro-life describes you well or somewhat well,” a higher fraction of baby boomers — 76 percent — said yes, as did 72 percent of seniors.

Getting away from labels, many pollsters ask whether abortion should be legal in all or most cases. With that approach, the Public Religion Research Institute found Millennials are much like the Baby Boomers, both at about 55 percent, while 43 percent of seniors take that view.

Check out the full article here.