A recent poll from AP-NORC (The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research) further cements what previous data has already revealed: Most Americans think there should be at least some limits on abortion. In fact, a whopping 73% of those polled feel this way.

While there was a minority who favored abortion for any reason, they skewed (unsurprisingly) as Democrats (at 80%) versus less than 30% of Republicans.

Nearly half of Americans (45%) believe abortion shouldn’t be allowed 15 weeks into pregnancy. While the pollsters didn’t mention it, this is also when unborn children can experience pain. Going further into pregnancy, 68% of those polled don’t want abortion to happen 24 weeks into pregnancy.

[Neither party has yet attempted to approach the middle of the national electorate on abortion policy. Some state politicians have crafted policies and restrictions that reflect their own electorates, but at the national level, both sides are staying absolutist. I tend to be absolutist too, but that requires a deft touch in expressing that point of view, and too many Republicans have not prepared themselves for that fight. — Ed]