Waking Up to the Gender Gap

By Anastasia Toufexis

G.O.P. dilemma: Why can't a woman vote more like a man?

To most Americans, the letters GG are recognizable only as the links on stylish men's loafers or the imprint on pricey women's handbags.

But to politicians, the initials stand for the most fashionable topic among pollsters today: the "gender gap" between men and women voters. That difference is expected to play a meaningful role in the November balloting. Says Pollster Louis Harris: "Women are as pivotal as any single group in this election."

In the past many women followed the voting lead of fathers and husbands. But by 1980, politicized by ten years of struggling to ratify the Equal Rights Amendment and ever increasing experience in the work force, women were making up their own minds. Pollsters who interviewed people as they came out of voting booths that fall noticed that significantly more women than men disapproved of Ronald Reagan; at the time, the disparity was attributed to his opposition to the ERA and abortion. In congressional races, according to Harris, women supported Democratic candidates over Republicans by 52% to 48%; men favored Democrats by 54% to 45%. Samplings of voters since then show that the gender gap was not just a response to Reagan or particular issues in the 1980 campaign. Indeed, a Harris survey last month revealed the gender gap had widened considerably, with women (53% of all registered voters) preferring Democratic candidates 53% to 38% and men backing them 46% to 44%. Analysts note that women generally have favored the more social service-oriented Democrats. But now, says Harris, "women are deserting the Republicans in droves." If the Democrats pick up 15 to 25 House seats (the average for the party out of power in mid-term elections since World War II is twelve), Harris says, "a surge of women toward Democrats may be among the top two or three reasons for that gain."

The disenchantment of women with Republicans now goes beyond Reagan's stance on the traditional feminist issues. By an average 10 to 20 points, women are more likely than men to decry the Reagan Administration's opposition to a nuclear arms freeze and its attempts to cut social welfare programs. Their foremost concern is the economy, and again they are more critical of Republican policies than are men. Explains Pollster Peter Hart: "Women are more economically sensitive than men. They are new to the job market."

The gender gap is such a recent phenomenon that no one is quite sure whether it will translate into votes. "Right now it's just a lot of polling data," says Ranny Cooper of the Women's Campaign Fund, which promotes the election of women to public office. In Illinois, women's groups endorsed Democrat Adlai Stevenson in his bid to unseat Republican Governor James Thompson, charging that Thompson's support of ERA was too tepid. Polls taken shortly before the ERA'S defeat this June showed Stevenson leading, in part because of a 40% to 25% edge among women. But a September survey by the Gallup poll indicates that many women have returned to the Thompson fold; he now leads 49% to 43% among women and 52% to 41% overall. In neighboring Michigan, however, a poll by Market Opinion Research shows Republican Senate Candidate Philip Ruppe running even with Democrat Donald Riegle among men but trailing 30% to 53% among women. In the gubernatorial race, women support Democrat James Blanchard by 52% to 29% over Republican Richard Headlee, who is an object lesson in how not to attract women voters. He recently pointed out that Blanchard had only one child and boasted, "I have nine children. So who loves women more?" Jeered a local newspaper: "On that basis women should prefer to vote for Peter Rabbit."

To capitalize on the gender gap, Democrats are being urged to tailor campaign materials to women, to shake hands in hospital parking lots as well as at factory gates and to make sure that women staffers are visible on the hustings. Republicans meanwhile are touting the White House Coordinating Council on Women, which is supposed to oversee legislative initiatives, and the Administration's Fifty States Project, which is examining state statutes for evidence of sex discrimination. Says Kathy Wilson, head of the National Women's Political Caucus: "Clearly there has been an effort to improve the President's tattered image."

Candidates of both parties are eagerly seeking the endorsement of women's groups. In Colorado, for example, would-be office holders who want the support of the state chapter of the National Women's Political Caucus have to write essay answers to 24 detailed questions on topics ranging from rape to Social Security. Says State Caucus President Gerry Bean: "It used to be we had trouble getting people to fill them out. Now candidates are calling up and asking for the questionnaires."

A record number of women are running for office themselves as candidates of the two major parties: 56 for the Senate and House and 1,620 for seats in state legislatures (1980 figures: 56 for Senate and House, 1,426 for state legislatures).

Fund raising is a major priority, both for women candidates and women political organizers. The gender gap, they realize, will have little effect if women voters are not made aware of sympathetic candidates and educated on important issues. Since they are not plugged into established, male-dominated political action committees, women are relying on their own burgeoning P.A.C.s. Groups of nurses, social workers and teachers are all giving more money than ever this election season. The most ambitious effort to reinforce the gender gap is being made by the National Organization for Women, which expects to pour $3 million into candidates and causes by Election Day. The recipients: feminists, both male and female, who are opposed to Reaganomics. The full ramifications of the gender gap will remain unclear until after Nov. 2, when political analysts will try to figure out what sorts of issues and candidates appealed to women voters. By 1984, predicts Nanette Falkenberg, executive director of the National Abortion Rights Action League, "there will be gender-gap strategies all over the place." --By Anastasia Toufexis. Reported by Anne Constable/Washington and Patricia Delaney/Chicago

With reporting by Anne Constable, Patricia Delaney

This file is automatically generated by a robot program, so viewer discretion is required.