Analysis
In just two states, Nebraska and Arkansas, did Obama receive fewer votes from women than men. In Arizona and Utah, Obama received the same number of votes from women and men.
The gender gap, or the pro-Democratic nature of female voters, is so common that textbooks regular include a discussion of it in chapters on voting and political participation.
The real question is, why?
Women perceive the Democratic Party to be more concerned with domestic issues that regularly affect their lives (i.e. education and health care). This is contrasted with a Republican Party that cares more about inanities such as zero-based budgeting that just don't resonate with Joanne Six-Pack (Ha! that was an awful line - I promise not to use it again).
And, here's another reason. The truth of the matter is that a clear majority of women are pro-choice. As long as the GOP is a bunch of men telling women what to do with their bodies, the GOP will be on the wrong side of this gender gap.
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1 comment:
Interesting Dr. King. Obama did well with women. He even seemed to do better among Clinton supporters than I thought he would.
The pro-choice issue is a big one. Women don't want to be told what they can and cannot do with their own bodies. This is true even with women who are not strong pro-choice supporters.... they want the decision to be between themselves, their doctors and their religious advisers.
And women seem to care more about bread and butter issues.... issues that impact them most. Especially since there are so many single mothers today.
I imagine that there were also a number of women with High school or college aged sons who wondered what McCain would do as President. More wars would possibly put their sons in harms way... The last 8 years saw a tremendous amount of women turn anti-war...or pro-peace.
I'm still baffled about how Kerry and Gore didn't win enough women to defeat Bush... (although Gore did in fact beat Bush.....it wasn't enough to take the decision out of the hands of the Supreme Court).
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