Polling conducted in August shows support from Alabama voters for Sen. Tommy Tuberville’s procedural holds on nominations over the Biden Administration’s military abortion travel policy.
The poll also reveals only half of voters have heard about the issue, counter to exhaustive media coverage.
Tuberville (R-Auburn) is holding confirmations in response to a Biden administration policy directing Department of Defense funds toward out-of-state abortions for troops and their families stationed in states where the procedure is prohibited.
45% of respondents backed Tuberville’s position.
In his view, the Pentagon using taxpayer dollars to pay for women in the military to cross state lines to get abortions violates federal law. Tuberville said the promotions would go through if the Biden Administration would just obey the laws.
He also said he will release the holds if Congress votes on a change to the law to make the Defense Department policy legal. But he won’t let the Biden Administration get away with ignoring the current law.
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Of those polled, 33% supported Biden’s directive to release the hold on nominations, citing an impact on “military readiness.”
Admittedly incapable of moving forward without Tuberville’s approval, the official position held by Biden and Democratic leadership has been to pressure fellow Republicans against the senator from Alabama.
When asked for reasoning behind support for Tuberville’s stand, 42% of respondents said they don’t support any taxpayer funds going toward abortion; 30% say they don’t trust Biden.
The poll, conducted in late August by WPA Intelligence among 500 registered voters in Alabama, also assessed fundamental opinions over abortion. The poll has a margin of error plus-4.4%.
40% of respondents said they support limiting abortion to the first 15 weeks of pregnancy with limited exceptions while 19% agreed with a total ban with no exceptions.
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As Congress returns from August recess next week, the stalemate will intensify, with both sides fully expected to dig further into their positions.
“The bottom line is, it’s up to the Republican leadership,” Majority Leader Chuck Schumer said last month.
“This is a problem that they have in their caucus, that they have with the country. They are risking our security and it’s up to them to fix it.”
Tuberville’s GOP colleagues in the Senate haven’t seemed interested. Last week, Sen. Katie Britt said it’s Biden who is politicizing the military.
“I will stay here till hell freezes over,” Tuberville said from the floor of the U.S. Senate in March.
Grayson Everett is a staff writer for Yellowhammer News. You can follow him on Twitter @Grayson270
