The Gender Gap and the 2024 Presidential Election in Pennsylvania
The 2024 presidential election is shaping up to be a close race, and the gender gap could play a significant role in determining the outcome. Vice President Kamala Harris is polling better among women than former President Donald Trump, according to a recent CBS News poll.
Harris is counting on suburban women to help her win the presidential election. She has received unexpected support from some longtime Republicans with the Women4U.S. group, an organization aimed at outreach to conservative women.
Stephanie Sharp, a co-founder of the organization, is a self-proclaimed lifelong conservative. This year, however, she is urging fellow Republican women to vote for Harris. She believes that Trump's rhetoric towards women and his role in reversing Roe v. Wade have alienated many women voters.
In Pennsylvania, the organization is targeting voters in the Philadelphia suburbs who helped President Biden win the state four years ago. They are using Post-it notes in women's bathroom stalls and campaign ads narrated by actress Julia Roberts to remind voters that their vote is private.
Some Trump supporters are skeptical of polling that shows Harris with a big lead among women. They say it's about policy, not personality. However, a senior Trump campaign official told CBS News that even if Harris performs better with women, they think Trump's popularity among men is more impactful.
On the final day of the campaign, Trump will campaign in North Carolina and Pennsylvania, before holding his last rally in Michigan. Harris will crisscross Pennsylvania, a key battleground with 19 electoral votes. She has planned events in Allentown, Reading, and Pittsburgh, before her final rally in Philadelphia.
The outcome of the election will likely depend on which candidate can turn out their base and attract undecided voters. The gender gap could be a deciding factor in this election, and it will be interesting to see how it plays out in Pennsylvania.