Individuals usually tend to consider that being a girl will harm Kamala Harris ‘ possibilities within the November election, in comparison with eight years in the past when Hillary Clinton was operating. And they’re extra prone to consider that Donald Trump ‘s gender will assist him.
A brand new ballot from The Related Press-NORC Middle for Public Affairs Analysis signifies a shift in attitudes amongst U.S. adults within the time between the candidacies of the primary and second feminine major-party nominees. The shift in attitudes is basically pushed by Democrats — notably Democratic males. About 3 in 10 Democratic males thought Clinton’s gender would harm her “somewhat” or “a lot” previous to her loss to Trump. About half now say that about Harris.
“I would say this country doesn’t really have an outstanding track record of supporting female candidates,” mentioned Julian Zeng, a 34-year-old copy editor and author from California who’s a Democrat.
Democratic ladies have additionally grown extra prone to say being a girl could possibly be a hurdle for a presidential candidate: About 4 in 10 Democratic ladies mentioned Clinton’s gender would harm her, and about half say that about Harris now. Republican males solely shifted barely, and Republican ladies’s views remained steady.
Individuals are additionally extra prone to see Trump’s gender as one thing that can assist his possibilities of being elected. About 4 in 10 U.S. adults now say that being a person is one thing that can assist him, up from round 3 in 10 when the identical query was requested in an AP-NORC ballot throughout his 2016 marketing campaign.
The ballot helps clarify how each candidates strategy gender
The ballot’s findings appear to bolster arguments for the best way each candidates have addressed gender of their campaigns.
Harris focuses much less on the history-making potential of her win than Clinton did, though the opportunity of electing a girl president might enthuse her supporters. She does emphasize reproductive rights in her marketing campaign and Trump’s nomination of three of the Supreme Courtroom justices who voted to overturn a nationally assured proper to abortion.
Trump, who for years has most popular to blast the Village Folks’s music “Macho Man” as he enters and exits his marketing campaign rallies, has courted youthful males and promoted a masculine picture with appearances at mixed-martial arts occasions and soccer video games. He has just lately began calling himself a “protector” of girls.
Carlos Stallworth, a 59-year-old Republican from California, mentioned Trump’s gendered attraction comes by means of in his campaigning, calling the previous president “a guy’s guy, a man’s man kind of guy.”
Stallworth, who mentioned he’s undecided however leaning towards Trump in November, mentioned he’s skeptical that Harris can win and feels that she’s not coming off as a forceful would-be commander-in-chief by not releasing extra detailed plans, notably on points just like the financial system, that can assist her overcome attitudes in “a male-chauvinist world.”
“It’s going to take a little bit more for her than just like the average guy,” he mentioned.
Some voters mentioned Trump’s persona and rhetoric may assist Harris get previous baked-in attitudes about ladies in energy.
“Were it not Trump, I think that it would hurt her,” mentioned Elizabeth Aguilar, a 48-year-old college professor from Illinois.
Aguilar, a Democrat, mentioned she thinks some voters should still be uncomfortable with the concept of a feminine president.
“But I think that his comments and his misogynist attitude are so far out that people may be willing to overlook the fact that she’s a woman,” she mentioned.
Clinton says she’s ‘really optimistic’ about Harris
Solely about one-quarter of Individuals say Harris’ gender “won’t make a difference” to her possibilities of getting elected this fall, down from when one-third mentioned that about Clinton in 2016. Barely lower than half say Trump’s gender received’t have an effect, down from round 6 in 10 throughout his first run.
In a latest interview with the AP carried out previous to the ballot, Clinton mentioned she’s “feeling really optimistic” that Harris will win. She mentioned she additionally feels Harris will profit from the truth that the nation has turn into extra accustomed to the picture of a feminine presidential candidate, having seen not solely her run eight years in the past but in addition a crowded Democratic presidential major 4 years later that included a number of feminine candidates.
“We now don’t just have one image of a person who happens to be a woman who ran for president, namely me,” Clinton mentioned. “We’ve got a broader view, and I think that’s all for the good.”
Cherene Bates, a 51-year-old Republican from Pocatello, Idaho, mentioned she hasn’t determined who she’s supporting in November, however she is optimistic that Harris’ gender won’t be an obstacle for different voters.
“I really hope that people wouldn’t discredit her because she’s a female,” Bates mentioned.
She mentioned it’s doable gender performed a job in Clinton’s loss in 2016, however she hopes it didn’t.
“As a nation, I think we still were ready to switch gears, to have a different frame of mind and elect a female president,” Bates mentioned. “I hope that we’re even more so now.”
The ballot of two,028 adults was carried out Sept. 12-16, 2024, utilizing a pattern drawn from NORC’s probability-based AmeriSpeak Panel, which is designed to be consultant of the U.S. inhabitants. The margin of sampling error for all respondents is plus or minus 3.1 share factors.
