As the political landscape continues to shift and change, one question remains at the forefront: why did a majority of white women vote for President-elect Donald Trump over Vice President Kamala Harris? This query was posed by CNN panelist Ashley Allison on Wednesday, and it’s one that demands further exploration.
With Roe v. Wade being overturned, many people expected white women to come out in droves to support Harris, just as they had done in the 2022 midterm elections for other Democratic candidates. However, the reality was quite different. A substantial 52% of white women casted their ballots for Trump over Harris, according to an NBC News exit poll.
This statistic becomes even more significant when broken down by education levels. Among white women without college degrees, an overwhelming 62% voted for Trump, while 59% of those with degrees also chose the current president over Harris, as reported by The Washington Post. These numbers raise the question of what exactly is happening among this particular voter bloc.
Allison voiced her thoughts on this matter, saying, “there was this belief that white women would come over to Kamala Harris because of Roe, because they did do that in 2020, but it wasn’t at the presidential level.” She pointed out that in the 2020 election, white women supported Democrats in other races such as Senate, House, and governor races, but not at the presidential level.
It’s worth noting that in the 2020 election, Harris and Trump were running for different offices, so it’s possible that some white women who supported Democrats in other races did not transfer their support to Harris in the presidential race. However, the significant gap of 9% between white women supporting Trump over Harris cannot be ignored.
Looking back at 2016, Trump also secured victory among white women over Hillary Clinton by a margin of 52% to 43%, according to a CNN exit poll. This gender gap only widened further in 2020, as Trump made significant gains with men and Harris made strides among women voters.
There are undoubtedly several factors at play when considering why white women are largely supporting Trump over Harris. One possible reason is that white women do not necessarily prioritize gender when it comes to political decision-making. As Nicole Silverio, a media reporter, pointed out, the economy and national security were among the top issues for women, regardless of their race or education level.
This could explain why white women, like men, voted for the candidate they believed would best handle these critical issues, regardless of gender. Another possible explanation is that many white women are simply not drawn to Harris and her policies.
It’s essential to remember that the election of a president should not be based on gender alone. Voters must consider a candidate’s platform, values, and their ability to lead the country effectively. While Harris may have made inroads with women voters in other races, it wasn’t enough to secure their support at the presidential level.
It’s about choosing the best candidate for the job, and in this case, it seems that a majority of white women believed that Trump was the better choice. Let’s focus on the issues and the candidates’ qualifications rather than trying to make this a battle of gender.