WASHINGTON (AP) — With abortion rights poised to be one of the major issues in the 2024 election, a new poll shows that Asian Americans, Native Hawaiians and Pacific Islanders in the United States are highly supportive of legal abortion, even in situations where the pregnant person wants an abortion for any reason.

According to a survey by AAPI Data and The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research, almost 80% of Asian Americans, Native Hawaiians, and Pacific Islanders believe that abortion should be legal in most or all situations. They also show a positive attitude towards protecting abortion rights at the federal level, with 75% of AAPI adults stating that they support Congress passing a law to ensure access to legal abortions throughout the country.

An AP-NORC survey conducted in June revealed that majority of American adults, 64%, believe that abortion should be allowed in all or most cases. Additionally, 60% of adults in the U.S. believe that Congress should enact a law ensuring access to abortion.

It is observed that Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) adults have a higher tendency compared to the general American population to identify themselves as Democrats. This may be a contributing factor to their greater support for legal abortion. Furthermore, AAPI Democrats show a stronger preference for legal abortion in the later stages of pregnancy. In fact, over half of this group believes abortion should be allowed without any restrictions, which is more than the overall support among Democrats at 40%.

Asian American and Pacific Islander Republicans have a higher tendency to endorse a law that ensures universal access to legal abortion throughout the country compared to Republicans in general. A majority (57%) of AAPI Republicans believe abortion should be permissible in certain scenarios, in contrast to only 38% of all Republicans. Similarly, around half (51%) of AAPI Republicans advocate for Congress to enact a law that guarantees access to legal abortion nationwide, while only 32% of Republicans in general share this view.

AAPI voters constitute a rapidly expanding demographic, primarily concentrated in states such as California, Texas, and New York. However, their opinions are often not included in other surveys due to insufficient sample sizes and other factors. This survey is a component of an ongoing initiative that aims to examine the perspectives of AAPI Americans.

Increased participation in regions with significant AAPI populations may benefit the Democratic Party in closely contested House districts. Additionally, the ongoing discussion on the political leanings of non-white voters could prompt more efforts to engage with AAPI voters. According to the study’s results, stances on abortion may play a significant role in attracting support from AAPI communities for Democratic candidates, while posing a challenge for Republican candidates.

Debra Nanez, a 72-year-old retired nurse from Tucson, Arizona and an independent voter, expresses disappointment in the involvement of politics in the discussion. Nanez, who identifies as Asian, Native American, and Hispanic, firmly believes that a woman should have full autonomy over her own body, and finds it absurd that others try to dictate what women can or cannot do with their bodies.

A survey conducted by AP-NORC in October 2022 revealed that over 40% of Americans trust Democrats over Republicans when it comes to dealing with the matter of abortion. However, a recent poll released on Thursday highlights a wider gap in trust between the two parties specifically among AAPI adults. While 55% of AAPI adults trust Democrats on abortion policies, only 12% have faith in Republicans.

The survey revealed that over half of AAPI adults were not born in the United States. According to Varun Nikore, executive director of AAPI Victory Alliance, this demographic, which includes immigrants and their first-generation American children, may not only view abortion as a healthcare option, but also as a fundamental right that was denied in their home countries.

Nikore believes that the reluctance to give up certain rights and access to healthcare may stem from ingrained attitudes from one’s home country. This sentiment is compounded by the strong sense of entitlement towards healthcare that many individuals possess. Perhaps the desire to maintain this access is also tied to the idea that immigrating to America promised better healthcare options than what was previously available in their home country.

About 60% of AAPI adults do not support Congress passing a law that would allow states to make their own laws regarding abortion. Only 14% are in favor of a law that would restrict access to abortions across the country.

Joie Meyer, a 24-year-old healthcare consultant living in Florida, explained that the state only allows abortions up to 15 weeks of pregnancy. She expressed concern that neighboring states like Alabama and Georgia have even stricter laws, making it necessary for her to travel long distances to obtain the procedure.

“I am 24 years old and while some individuals my age may already have children, I do not feel prepared to have a baby if I were to become pregnant. It would require careful consideration on my part.”

Meyer, who was born in China but has lived in the U.S. since an infant, has made plans with a friend in California in case she does need an abortion. Flying across the country might be more time-consuming than driving to the nearest state that provides abortion, but she said she wants to know that she’ll be with someone who can take care of her during the recovery.

Meyer expressed hesitation towards handling the physical and emotional burden of navigating a closer state alone, stating “I wouldn’t want to do that by myself.”

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The survey included 1,172 individuals from the United States who identified as Asian American, Native Hawaiian, or Pacific Islander. It took place between Feb. 5-14, 2024 and utilized a sample from NORC’s Amplify AAPI Panel, which aims to accurately represent the population of Asian Americans, Native Hawaiians, and Pacific Islanders. The margin of error for all participants is +/- 3.9%.

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Graham Lee Brewer is a member of AP’s Race & Ethnicity team and is based in Oklahoma City. Amelia Thomson-DeVeaux serves as AP’s editor for polling.