Boston Globe columnist Jeff Jacoby writes:
Of the last seven presidential elections, Republicans have won five — three times with more women’s votes than the Democrats. For all the rhetoric about the mighty gender gap — Democratic strategist Ann Lewis once called it ”the Grand Canyon of American politics” — Republicans seem to bridge it without difficulty.
That’s because women aren’t monolithic voters, as O’Beirne emphasizes, and they don’t march in lockstep to the beat of liberal drums. The best evidence of that is the electoral gap that really does matter in American politics — the gap separating married women from those who are single.
Unlike the gender gap, there is nothing illusory about the marriage gap. Married women are more likely to vote Republican; unmarried women are more likely to vote Democratic. In the most recent presidential election, unmarried women voted for John Kerry by a 25-point margin, while President Bush won the votes of married women by an 11-point margin — a marriage gap of 36 points.
”Want to know which candidate a woman is likely to support for president?” asked USA Today in 2004, as the Kerry-Bush race was heading into the home stretch. ”Look at her ring finger.”
The full article can be found here.
I think that married women tend to vote Republican to please their husbands, who are probably patriarchal bullies; while single women, being more open-minded, hipper and possibly more attractive, vote Democratic because they view the world not through the perspective of being in a “holy union” with anyone else, but uniquely, ideally, lovingly. They vote to make a difference, however symbolic or idealistic (or wrong) you want to paint it.
I agree that the Dems are barking up the wrong tree to speak of the gender gap in elections. Maybe like back in the 70’s it mattered? Nowadays, there are too many stay-at-home moms who, because they don’t work and, hence, don’t really see the real world, have to come up with more things to keep their men happy. They might vote Republican because they are infected by the prejudices of their husbands, and out of fear of “Islamo-fascists” (Remember the “security moms” of the last presidential election?). I think it’s supposed to be some kind of cute show of gratitude to the strong men that protect them, like when chicks pretend to like sports.
I just wanted to add, for the record, that my wife is the most beautiful woman in the world and has never (as far as I know) voted Republican.
El Profe,
Are you for real? To please their husbands? stay at home moms? WTF? quizás es usted se abriga que, ellos piensa quizá para sí mismos.
Un F***ing belivable.
HP, how is school treating you? Nursing school is rougher than I thought, pero es bueno.
W.NM.
Hey W.NM.,
Long time no talk. School is treating me as badly as ever, but luckily, I have my final coming up; on the 24th of this month between 3-6pm. I can’t wait to get it over with and go on vacation. I leave to Mexico for 10 days, but only to return to the start of a whole new quarter. It never ends…
I hope you’re doing well in school and hope to see you around more, cuando tienes tiempo.
El Profe, maybe, just maybe, these women of whom you write, vote Republican because they agree with the Republican ideology and platform. Your wild speculation about what motivates these women to vote as they do seems highly prejudicial and more than a bit sexist.
Yes, highly prejudicial and more than a bit sexist BUT thought provoking and, if you really think about it, probably true! Admit it!
I am with you EL Profe. At least that is what it seems like to me.
I can sadly tell you that some women that I know have told me that they vote the way they do because “my husband is Republican.” Some just do it because it is popular. When it comes down to actual ideas or reasons behind their politics they have no clue. Can you believe that I was talking to some people at work who had no clue as to whom I was talking about when I mentioned Karl Rove and Tom De Lay? What about the friend of mine who said that she bases her politcal views on what Bill O’Reilly says on the O’Reilly Factor because he is “just so nice and he really seems to be representing a fair and balanced view.!”
Maybe I got a little off topic here - sorry!