The electoral gender gap widens in the United States: men are for Trump and women are for Harris USA Elections

“Women are going to win this election for Kamala Harris,” says Carrie Zimmerman. The resident of Alexandria, Northern Virginia, is one of 75,000 people who will attend the Democratic presidential nominee’s “closing argument” this Tuesday. People came to the large Esplanade Ellipse in front of the White House to hear the speech. Campaign days. In her opinion, there will be a wave of women’s votes on November 5 that will tip the balance in favor of the vice president: not only Democratic women, but also conservative or independent-minded people who want to protect the right to abortion and democracy.

“The Republican Party wants to systematically take away women’s right to access abortion. I think women, no matter how they think about other issues, will no longer tolerate this. “They want control over their bodies, not the government telling them what they can do with their reproductive systems,” Zimmerman says firmly.

The Alexandria resident attended the rally with many of his friends, who agree with what the mother said. They, like many other attendees, wear T-shirts supporting the Vice President and his number two, Tim Walz, on which they read slogans in favor of the right to terminate a pregnancy. “Vote for your daughters,” the speech read, appealing to another attendee in his hat.

A few meters away, Melissa Scott, also a resident of the outskirts of the American capital, expresses herself similarly: “I’m here because I want a world in which women do not have to fear having their reproductive rights taken away.” Without being able to grow up.” from them. Because I want a world where gay rights are still protected, where ethnic minorities feel part of this country and are not marginalized by (Republican nominee) Donald Trump and his supporters. Because I believe that Kamala Harris can unite this country. “We have to defeat Trump and the hatred he spreads.”

Scott, Zimmerman and their colleagues represent the main voting bloc that has gravitated toward Kamala Harris’s candidacy: women, particularly those with college degrees and those who live in residential neighborhoods. A poll published last week by the NBC television network showed a 30 percentage point advantage for Democrats over Trump in voting intentions among them. Republicans, on the other hand, have 12 points more support among men. Its staunchest supporters are found among non-college-educated and working-class men, who find themselves despised by the intellectual elite.

The gender gap has always existed in American elections. Since the 1980s, women have tended to vote more for Democrats and more men for Republicans, but never before have the differences been more stark. This gap has doubled over the past 25 years, especially among young women. “Among young women under 24, finding someone who wants to vote for Trump is like finding a green dog,” says Frank Luntz, a political strategist and voting trends analyst. “Young women are dying to vote for Kamala Harris, who they see as who they would like to be in 30 years.”

“The gender gap is particularly large in 2024,” says Katherine Tate, a political science professor at Brown University. “Trump has alienated women voters with his hostile language and aggression. “The women’s vote is going to be decisive in these elections.”

The trend is clearly visible in any rally of both the candidates. The former President’s audience has been dominated by men. The post of Vice President, although more diverse, is filled with female faces. And both candidates have placed an emphasis on courting these respective voting blocks.

“On polling day, when many couples go to the polling booth, they do not talk to each other on the way. There’s going to be a lot of couples that night where one of their members is going to sleep on the couch, and it’s not because they’re keeping count,” Luntz said sarcastically.

Trump’s hypermasculinity

Trump appeals to hypermasculinity, a quality he has particularly emphasized in recent weeks and which has allowed him to win votes among groups that until now have leaned more toward Democrats, such as Latino men, African Americans, and young people.

At one of his campaign events, a wrestling star tears his shirt; He constantly appeals to “fight”; The size of a golfer’s sexual organ is indicated. Some of his gestures towards women are to offer himself as their “protector”. His vice presidential candidate, J.D. Vance, is a particularly reviled figure among progressive women, after he made derogatory comments about “cats and women without children”, in which he referred to her as having to take care of small children. It was suggested to turn to grandparents.

Meanwhile, Harris doesn’t want to emphasize the historic nature of her candidacy as the first black woman to run for the White House: This is a lesson learned from Hillary Clinton’s failed attempt to “break through” her campaign in 2016. I promised. Tough glass ceiling” and he couldn’t understand. The vice president makes abortion rights her banner and tries to present herself as a candidate of dialogue, inclusion and common sense. At some of his rallies he has appeared with former Republican Congresswoman Liz Cheney, daughter of former Vice President Dick Cheney, to send a message to conservative and liberal women who may be interested in Trump’s political proposals but who are put off by his aggressive personality. Are distracted. Of the candidate.

Last week, his campaign held a major election event in Houston, Texas, to highlight the draconian law that has banned abortion in that state for three years and its negative consequences for women’s health. Have come. It also featured Harris, along with stars Jessica Alba and Beyoncé, who urged voters to vote for the Democrat “as a mother.”

Despite everything, a portion of the female vote leans toward Donald Trump. “It is very important to know that the values ​​of the Republican Party are the values ​​of Latinos,” says Teresa, who is of Venezuelan descent but has lived in the city of Reading, Pennsylvania, for more than two decades. ,

Women’s support is good news for Harris. Women go to the polls more regularly than men and represent 53% of voters. According to an analysis of digital political There is a 10 percentage point gender gap in favor of women in advance voting in hinge states this week. Of the ballots cast, 55% are from women, while 45% are from men.

Despite everything, the women’s vote will not be enough to give Harris a victory. It’s not just men who are rooting for Trump’s victory. Thus, that party’s two most popular Democrats, Barack and Michelle Obama, have begun seeking votes in favor of Harris. The former first lady said, “If we don’t do well in these elections, your wives, your daughters, your mothers, women will become additional victims of your anger,” adding: “As men, can you Ready to look the women you love in the eyes and tell them you supported this attack (against their rights)?