Republicans still haven’t learned. In the autopsy of the 2012 presidential campaign, the Republican National Committee concluded that the party needed to “improve its efforts to include female voters” and “represent some of the unique concerns that female voters may have.”
But the top two Republican presidential candidates — Donald Trump and Ted Cruz — have the lowest favorability ratings in the field among women. If nominated, Cruz would probably perform the same as Romney, whereas Trump would probably lose the women’s vote by the biggest margin in 50 years. …
… Three in ten women surveyed had a favorable view of Cruz (29 percent) and nearly half had an unfavorable view of him (46 percent), according to the same Quinnipiac survey from late March. …
This bodes poorly for the general election. In a hypothetical general-election matchup, according to a Quinnipiac poll in March, among women voters, Trump would trail Clinton by 16 points and Sanders by 27 points; Cruz would trail Clinton by 9 points and Sanders by 18 points. …
Republicans in general are struggling with women voters. For the last three decades, women have tended to vote Democrat. However, the party could do a lot better than its two current front-runners. …
it wasn’t so long ago that George H. W. Bush and Ronald Reagan won the female vote. In other words, it’s not the party. It’s the candidates. If Republicans want to win a general election, it’s worth considering what women voters want. …
donna j: I definitely understand why women are not attracted to Trump, but why they wouldn’t be attracted to Cruz – not so much. Especially when Sen. Cruz does an event like this:
“(Cruz) also recently hosted an event — “The Celebration of Strong Women” — in Madison, Wis., featuring his wife, his mother, and none other than former competitor Carly Fiorina. “All issues are women’s issues,” said Cruz, in one of his most humanizing events of the campaign.”
The bigger question for me is: Why do women tend to vote for the Democrat(ic) Party?
I will take a stab at answering that question Tychious. The Democrats market their package to women. Most women are opposed to abortion, but there is always the thought in the back of their minds that if they were backed in a corner would they given in and have one.
I have never been in a position to contemplate an abortion, but I will tell you that as a young women I would have had one or jumped off of a bridge somewhere rather than face my father to tell him I was unwed and pregnant. It wasn’t what he would have done to me…it was knowing the look of disappointment on his face that I would see that would destroy me. As it was he ended up begging for a grandchild and I made my husband tell him when he was finally going to be a grandfather.
Even that “darling of a Republican woman” Sarah Palin admitted that for a brief moment abortion drifted through her mind when she found out she was pregnant the last time.
I have known several women who have had them. One suffered infertility, one became a missionary, one became and alcoholic, and one has made a train wreck of her life. It isn’t without consequences, but women want to know, deep down, that if they needed one they could get it.
You and I may not agree with that. I was pro-choice all the way until I say my 18 wk old baby bat a amnio needle. I decided then and there I didn’t care what was wrong with her she was mine and she was going to get a chance.
The Democrats have marketed themselves so much as the party of women that even when they throw women under the bus as they oft do in favor of ANY other minority women still think they have their best interest in mind.
A horrific, but important, exploration of strategic rape as acts of war from Time Magazine. I do NOT, of course, agree with the author’s insistence that abortion is the only answer, but the rest of the article is sobering but necessary.
I’d be interested in a follow up article about why the soldiers behave so outrageously–I know, I know, spoils of war, but some sort of conversation later about what happened and why they participated if possible. We then might get to some answers.
It’s ironic, Kim, that you would not be willing to face your father’s disappointment with an unwed pregnancy, yet be willing to have him find you killed yourself. Such are the schizophrenic minds we have.
I suspect the truth is more that the Democratic party promises more government aid to everyone, while the Republicans talk more about personal responsibility. Most of us have needed help at one time or another. Most of us have already known times when some government regulation has helped us when dealing with some business far more powerful than we are. Or we have loved ones we know need help and we do not have the resources (or desire) to help them ourselves.
I have know Democratic party people to warn those on government assistance programs that they will be shut down if the Republicans get into power. That is not true in most cases, but it is still put out there year after year.
Most women desire security and the Democratic party seems to bring more of that. ‘Seems to’ is all that is needed.
Thanks for that, Kim. What you seem to be inferring is that the Republican Party hasn’t done as well at reaching women on an emotional level – is that fair to say?
Agree with Kathaleena on the security issue — and with more and more women now single, some supporting children alone, that resonates.
With Cruz, it may partly be tone — as my Christian friend said to me yesterday, a lack of grace or compassion? He’s what we used to call a “rock-ribbed” conservative; right on the issues for many of us but not tempered with a more human element.
I don’t know the answer to the reaction to Cruz precisely, but it’s something I’ve picked up on among my female friends (and in myself, frankly).
I don’t think it’s “emotion” — but men and women are different and I do think there’s an issue with tone and perception. Of course, many men have that same reaction to Cruz.
I know it’s not popular to say here, but he just isn’t that appealing as inspirational/transcendent leadership material. I suspect a Ted Cruz — someone who’s so hard-line — would get very little accomplished in this climate we’re in currently.
Friend at church yesterday brought up the immigration issue — yes, we all want to control the border, it’s way overdue. But (and I’m thinking she was alluding to Cruz’s proposal to deport many families) there also has to be an understanding that many of these families came her as a refuge and to have some compassion and grace in however we go about addressing this problem.
I think of Cruz’s comments (and Karen O has also brought this up) to “carpet bomb” Isis (you don’t “carpet” bomb without much civilian damage).
I’m just sorry there’s not someone who is conservative but who also can be winsome (definitely a term I’d never apply to Cruz) in a way that can persuade and win over people who may not consider themselves to be conservative.
So I asked two of my most politically active and liberal friends the question about why the Republican Party doesn’t appeal to women. Here are the answers I got.
Women’s Rights
Equality
A seat at the table instead of being relegated to the kitchen table
Currently the Democratic Party treats issues of social justice, reproductive rights, and pay equality as legitimate issues the should be addressed while Republicans are still using words like FemiNazi.
The American Society of News Editors found that the number of U.S. newspapers staffers has dropped 40 percent in just eight years, from 55,000 journalists in 2007 to 32,900 in 2015. Since newspapers are typically the starting point for original coverage that gets stolen aggregated picked up by other media outlets, the drop in newspaper reporters means the amount of real news out there has been hit especially hard.
Sen. Bernie Sanders has all but eliminated Hillary Clinton’s polling lead among Democratic voters nationwide, a new Wall Street Journal/NBC News poll has found …
Wandering Views 
Interesting — I’ve noticed that women, in particular (and I’m talking conservative women here), have a problem with Cruz.
http://www.nationalreview.com/article/434171/donald-trumps-low-ratings-women
______________________________________
Republicans still haven’t learned. In the autopsy of the 2012 presidential campaign, the Republican National Committee concluded that the party needed to “improve its efforts to include female voters” and “represent some of the unique concerns that female voters may have.”
But the top two Republican presidential candidates — Donald Trump and Ted Cruz — have the lowest favorability ratings in the field among women. If nominated, Cruz would probably perform the same as Romney, whereas Trump would probably lose the women’s vote by the biggest margin in 50 years. …
… Three in ten women surveyed had a favorable view of Cruz (29 percent) and nearly half had an unfavorable view of him (46 percent), according to the same Quinnipiac survey from late March. …
This bodes poorly for the general election. In a hypothetical general-election matchup, according to a Quinnipiac poll in March, among women voters, Trump would trail Clinton by 16 points and Sanders by 27 points; Cruz would trail Clinton by 9 points and Sanders by 18 points. …
Republicans in general are struggling with women voters. For the last three decades, women have tended to vote Democrat. However, the party could do a lot better than its two current front-runners. …
it wasn’t so long ago that George H. W. Bush and Ronald Reagan won the female vote. In other words, it’s not the party. It’s the candidates. If Republicans want to win a general election, it’s worth considering what women voters want. …
_________________________________
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donna j: I definitely understand why women are not attracted to Trump, but why they wouldn’t be attracted to Cruz – not so much. Especially when Sen. Cruz does an event like this:
“(Cruz) also recently hosted an event — “The Celebration of Strong Women” — in Madison, Wis., featuring his wife, his mother, and none other than former competitor Carly Fiorina. “All issues are women’s issues,” said Cruz, in one of his most humanizing events of the campaign.”
The bigger question for me is: Why do women tend to vote for the Democrat(ic) Party?
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I will take a stab at answering that question Tychious. The Democrats market their package to women. Most women are opposed to abortion, but there is always the thought in the back of their minds that if they were backed in a corner would they given in and have one.
I have never been in a position to contemplate an abortion, but I will tell you that as a young women I would have had one or jumped off of a bridge somewhere rather than face my father to tell him I was unwed and pregnant. It wasn’t what he would have done to me…it was knowing the look of disappointment on his face that I would see that would destroy me. As it was he ended up begging for a grandchild and I made my husband tell him when he was finally going to be a grandfather.
Even that “darling of a Republican woman” Sarah Palin admitted that for a brief moment abortion drifted through her mind when she found out she was pregnant the last time.
I have known several women who have had them. One suffered infertility, one became a missionary, one became and alcoholic, and one has made a train wreck of her life. It isn’t without consequences, but women want to know, deep down, that if they needed one they could get it.
You and I may not agree with that. I was pro-choice all the way until I say my 18 wk old baby bat a amnio needle. I decided then and there I didn’t care what was wrong with her she was mine and she was going to get a chance.
The Democrats have marketed themselves so much as the party of women that even when they throw women under the bus as they oft do in favor of ANY other minority women still think they have their best interest in mind.
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Then there are the Cruz supporters who want to disenfranchise most women (and a huge group of men) with their Algebra word problem literacy test.
T, My wife and I were in OKC on Saturday for the Maverick beat down. Your people looked pretty good last night.
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A horrific, but important, exploration of strategic rape as acts of war from Time Magazine. I do NOT, of course, agree with the author’s insistence that abortion is the only answer, but the rest of the article is sobering but necessary.
I’d be interested in a follow up article about why the soldiers behave so outrageously–I know, I know, spoils of war, but some sort of conversation later about what happened and why they participated if possible. We then might get to some answers.
Other than Satan and the evil hearts of us all. 😦
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It’s ironic, Kim, that you would not be willing to face your father’s disappointment with an unwed pregnancy, yet be willing to have him find you killed yourself. Such are the schizophrenic minds we have.
I suspect the truth is more that the Democratic party promises more government aid to everyone, while the Republicans talk more about personal responsibility. Most of us have needed help at one time or another. Most of us have already known times when some government regulation has helped us when dealing with some business far more powerful than we are. Or we have loved ones we know need help and we do not have the resources (or desire) to help them ourselves.
I have know Democratic party people to warn those on government assistance programs that they will be shut down if the Republicans get into power. That is not true in most cases, but it is still put out there year after year.
Most women desire security and the Democratic party seems to bring more of that. ‘Seems to’ is all that is needed.
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Thanks for that, Kim. What you seem to be inferring is that the Republican Party hasn’t done as well at reaching women on an emotional level – is that fair to say?
LikeLiked by 1 person
Agree with Kathaleena on the security issue — and with more and more women now single, some supporting children alone, that resonates.
With Cruz, it may partly be tone — as my Christian friend said to me yesterday, a lack of grace or compassion? He’s what we used to call a “rock-ribbed” conservative; right on the issues for many of us but not tempered with a more human element.
I don’t know the answer to the reaction to Cruz precisely, but it’s something I’ve picked up on among my female friends (and in myself, frankly).
LikeLike
I just read your post, Kathaleena – excellent points.
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I don’t think it’s “emotion” — but men and women are different and I do think there’s an issue with tone and perception. Of course, many men have that same reaction to Cruz.
I know it’s not popular to say here, but he just isn’t that appealing as inspirational/transcendent leadership material. I suspect a Ted Cruz — someone who’s so hard-line — would get very little accomplished in this climate we’re in currently.
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Guess Who: Can you name a presidential candidate who is more inspirational as a leader than Sen. Cruz?
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Not really. It’s turned into a rather uninspiring field if you ask me.
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Friend at church yesterday brought up the immigration issue — yes, we all want to control the border, it’s way overdue. But (and I’m thinking she was alluding to Cruz’s proposal to deport many families) there also has to be an understanding that many of these families came her as a refuge and to have some compassion and grace in however we go about addressing this problem.
I think of Cruz’s comments (and Karen O has also brought this up) to “carpet bomb” Isis (you don’t “carpet” bomb without much civilian damage).
I’m just sorry there’s not someone who is conservative but who also can be winsome (definitely a term I’d never apply to Cruz) in a way that can persuade and win over people who may not consider themselves to be conservative.
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I think women help the world survive. Just think if men were in charge without our tempering influence.
Carpet Bombing galore! 😉
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On the other hand, men help women see that there are times in which action needs to be taken. There are some things that are worse than war.
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So I asked two of my most politically active and liberal friends the question about why the Republican Party doesn’t appeal to women. Here are the answers I got.
Women’s Rights
Equality
A seat at the table instead of being relegated to the kitchen table
Currently the Democratic Party treats issues of social justice, reproductive rights, and pay equality as legitimate issues the should be addressed while Republicans are still using words like FemiNazi.
LikeLike
Ugh.
The American Society of News Editors found that the number of U.S. newspapers staffers has dropped 40 percent in just eight years, from 55,000 journalists in 2007 to 32,900 in 2015. Since newspapers are typically the starting point for original coverage that gets stolen aggregated picked up by other media outlets, the drop in newspaper reporters means the amount of real news out there has been hit especially hard.
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We appreciate all your efforts holding the line, Guess Who.
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It’s really alarming when you see those stats.
And this, too:
But it’s not just the availability of jobs – the PR industry has won the battle for compensating people, too.
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, in 2000 the average journalist made $37,510 and PR people made $43,700.
Now, journalists make $50,970 and PR people earn $65,830.
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From WSJ:
By JANET HOOK
Sen. Bernie Sanders has all but eliminated Hillary Clinton’s polling lead among Democratic voters nationwide, a new Wall Street Journal/NBC News poll has found …
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I’ve seen it mentioned that Kasich polls higher against Clinton than either Trump or Cruz. Not sure about how he polls against Sanders.
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Karen, I think Kasich does better than other Republicans among the feminazis.
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So, what would a socialist presidency look like?
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Just like LBJ’s. It is amazing to tour his library and see how much socialism was enacted during his 5 years in power.
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Realclearpolitics.com has the running polls for states and national match ups
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Currently Kasich beats Clinton, but not Sanders in a hypothetical national election
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Clinton beats Trump and Cruz; Sanders beats all 3 of the Republicans (in the latest polls)
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So how do the other females here feel about Cruz?
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