Sunday, October 12, 2008

Gender and the Race: What Will Women Do Minus Hillary and Plus Sarah?

Women were given the constitutional right to vote in 1920, but we did not observe consistent, discernable differences between the voting behaviors of men and women until 1980. That year, women began to distinctly favor the Democratic Party in their voting choices, and this trend has continued into subsequent elections. When observing this trend and how it might operate in the upcoming election, it is important to consider the factors that have caused this preference of women for the Democratic nominee. And given the fact that the Republicans have a woman on the ticket this year, we must ask whether women are likely to support the GOP in greater numbers this year because of some sort of gender solidarity.

Democrats have held an advantage among women for the better part of thirty years in large part because the Democratic Party is perceived to do better on issues that are important to women. Women are still responsible for the majority of reproductive labor in this country, and thus, kitchen table issues such as education and health care tend to rank high on their lists of concerns. Democrats have long been perceived as the stronger of the two parties on this issue. Therefore, it would be rational for women who are concerned about these issues to vote Democratic. Moreover, women have historically been more opposed to military intervention than men. As such, the Republican Party’s advantage on national security issues have historically not resonated with women.

Although most candidates, both Democratic and Republican, avoid running on feminist issues such as reproductive and equal rights, Democrats have consistently held the more progressive stance on these issues. Women who are moved by these issues will be inclined to vote Democratic. Moreover, because women are also generally disadvantaged financially than men, they may be more receptive to the Democratic Party’s stances on economic safety net issues.

None of this should be interpreted to mean that women are alike. Women from different backgrounds and from different stations in life respond differently to political conditions and policy proposals. Recently, certain dissimilarities have been noted within the political behavior of women. The 2004 election exemplified the fact that women are beginning to have more diverse political outlooks, based on their distinct identities. Single women were more likely to vote Democratic, while married women were more likely to vote Republican. Educated women were more likely to vote Democratic, while blue collar women were more likely to vote Republican. The greater movement towards the Republican Party and the narrowing of the gender gap in recent election can be attributed to several things. Bush’s “compassionate conservatism” strategy that reached out to women narrowed the gender gap from the election of 2000 to the election of 2004. The tragic events of September 11, 2001 also helped to narrow the gender gap, as suburban mothers were motivated by security reasons to migrate towards the Republican Party.

With less than a month before America will vote in the most historic election of the modern era, the reactions of women our current political condition are important to consider. Sarah Palin was chosen as the Republican vice presidential candidate in response to speculation that Clinton supporters would not vote for Obama, and this strategy was designed to appeal to working class white women. Palin’s ability to identify with the concerns and values of women in America might have an impact on the voting behavior of women in the upcoming election. In reality, it is unlikely that most Clinton supporters, especially the most ardent feminists among them, will disregard what they would perceive to be the antipathy that the Republican Party has shown for women’s issues and vote for the Republican ticket out of spite or even because Sarah Palin in the GOP vice presidential nominee. The fact that Obama has made a concerted effort to promote equal rights this year only further diminishes this likelihood.


For Further Reading:

Susan Carroll and Richard Fox (Eds). 2006. Gender and Elections: Shaping the Future of American Politics. New York: Cambridge University Press.

Anna Greenberg. 2006. “Moving Beyond the Gender Gap.”

Anna Greenberg. 2008. “Angry White Women.”

Anna Greenberg. 2001. “A Gender Divided: Women as Votes in the 2000 Presidential Election.”

You may also be interested in the following:

Kellyanne Conway. "Women Voters in the United States." E-Journal USA (US State Dept.)

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