KSTP/SurveyUSA poll: Minnesotans support sports betting, constitutional amendment for abortion

Abortion and Sports Betting

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(KSTP) – As state lawmakers continue work at the Capitol, Minnesotans are weighing in on two issues that lawmakers may consider later this spring.

Results from our exclusive KSTP/SurveyUSA poll show a majority of Minnesotans support legalizing sports betting and would also be in favor of a constitutional amendment guaranteeing the right to abortion.

According to the poll, 56% of people support sports betting legalization while 22% of respondents oppose and 21% say they’re still unsure.

As for who should be licensed to conduct in-person and mobile sports betting, 45% of people said private companies, an option state lawmakers aren’t currently considering. Meanwhile, only 16% say Native American tribes and horse tracks should be allowed to conduct sports betting and just 9% say only tribes should have that ability.

“The idea of allowing only tribes to control that receives negligible support, usually under 10% amongst these groups,” Carleton College political analyst Steven Schier said.

And a year after state lawmakers codified the right to an abortion into state law, Minnesotans say they’d support going a step further and approving a constitutional amendment if state lawmakers go down that path.

Of poll respondents, 58% said they’d support the constitutional amendment on abortion rights while 25% said they would not.

“Putting a constitutional amendment to make abortion rights part of the state Constitution is something Democrats are strongly motivated to pursue because they think it will help them up and down the ballot,” Schier said.

So far, state lawmakers haven’t made any decision about putting an abortion amendment on the ballot.