Support for Barrett's confirmation has grown steadily across political spectrum, poll shows


Judge Amy Coney Barrett's nomination to the Supreme Court has been a major point of contention between Republicans and Democrats since President Trump made the call last month, primarily because of its proximity to the November election, which was the reason the Republican-led Senate blocked then-President Obama's nominee in 2016. But the latest Morning Consult poll on the matter suggests Americans across the political spectrum have grown increasingly supportive of Barrett's confirmation.
Back on Sept. 26, for example, only 14 percent of Democrats said the Senate should vote to confirm Barrett. That figure nearly doubled in Wednesday's poll. Overall, a plurality of Americans back Barrett's confirmation, while only 31 percent said the upper chamber should block her nomination, indicating that most of those in the initially undecided crowd have shifted toward the confirm camp.
Although public opinion does not directly affect the process, the numbers certainly appear to boost the likelihood that the GOP will have the numbers needed for Barrett to fill the seat. Still, it's worth noting the poll was conducted before Barrett's Senate Judiciary Committee hearing began this week.
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
The Morning Consult poll was conducted online from October 09-11, 2020, among a national sample of 1986 registered voters. The margin of error was 2 percentage points. Read the full results here.
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
Tim is a staff writer at The Week and has contributed to Bedford and Bowery and The New York Transatlantic. He is a graduate of Occidental College and NYU's journalism school. Tim enjoys writing about baseball, Europe, and extinct megafauna. He lives in New York City.
-
Japan's prime minister feels pressure after election losses
Speed Read Shigeru Ishiba has vowed to remain in office
-
Trump orders NFL team to change name, or else
Speed Read The president wants the Washington Commanders to change its name back to the 'Redskins'
-
Are referees and 'physicality' hurting the WNBA?
Today's Big Question The league is growing, but Caitlin Clark's absence raises questions
-
Israeli gunfire kills dozens at Gaza aid site
Speed Read The U.N. estimates that at least 875 Palestinians have died while trying to access food in recent months
-
Rubio says US brokered end to Syria conflict
Speed Read Syria's defense ministry was targeted in Israeli attacks on the capital
-
Trump threatens Russia with 'severe tariffs'
speed read The president also agreed to sell NATO advanced arms for Ukraine
-
IDF blames 'error' for strike on Gaza water line
Speed Read Israeli forces attack Palestinians, including children, collecting water in central Gaza
-
Iran still has enriched uranium, Israeli official says
Speed Read It remains unclear how long it would take Iran to rebuild its nuclear program following US and Israeli attacks
-
Trump U-turns on weapons to Ukraine
Speed Read Unhappy with Putin, Trump decides the US will go back to arming Ukraine against Russia's attacks
-
Ukraine scrambles as Trump cuts weapons deliveries
Speed Read The halting of weapons shipments was driven by Pentagon policy chief Elbridge Colby, a Ukraine funding skeptic
-
IAEA: Iran could enrich uranium 'within months'
Speed Read The chief United Nations nuclear inspector, Rafael Grossi, says Iran could be enriching uranium again soon