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    • Harris v. Trump election poll shows historic gap between men and women
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    Harris v. Trump election poll shows historic gap between men and women

    Online Niel Posted on

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    The gender gap is getting wider and deeper – and stronger.

    The differences between how men and women view the state of the nation, the issues that matter and the candidates is the defining divide in American politics today, shaping the outcome of the presidential race now just 10 days away.

    In the most recent USA TODAY/Suffolk University National Poll, women overwhelmingly supported Democrat Kamala Harris, 53% to 36%. That’s a mirror image of men’s overwhelming support for Republican Donald Trump, 53 percent to 37 percent. If those margins hold through Election Day, it would be the largest disparity since a gender gap emerged more than four decades ago in 1980.

    This year, the gender gap became significant among Latino and black voters, as well as among white voters.

    Some of those surveyed saw the division within their own families.

    “This is a really heavy subject, like, it hits hard for me,” said Vanessa Carmona, 48, of Pasadena, Calif., who was called on the poll. For her husband, “it makes financial sense for a Republican to be in office,” but she sees reproductive rights as the most important issue, in part because of her own experiences. “Knowing our history with a miscarriage and going through that — that’s when I literally fell down and cried. I’m like, “I can’t even believe you’re saying that right now, what I’ve been through.”

    A confluence of factors helps explain the divide: From the start of his political career, Trump has had a disproportionate appeal to men; his muscular political stances attracted some men, and his sometimes offensive rhetoric repelled some women. Harris’ nomination as a black woman is historic and a draw for some women. And the Supreme Court’s 2022 decision overturning Roe v. Wade highlighted an abortion right that resonates more strongly with women.

    Here’s what we found about the nation’s political wars by gender in our national and state surveys.

    This is new: a huge gender gap among Latinos

    Trump’s unexpectedly strong appeal to Latino men created a significant gender gap among a demographic that had been solidly Democratic.

    In a USA TODAY/Suffolk university survey of Latin American voters in the swing state of Arizona, women supported Harris by an overwhelming 40 percentage points (68% to 28%), while men supported Trump by a narrow 2 points (48% to 46%).

    This difference is well outside the margin of error of plus or minus about 6 percentage points for analyzing results by gender.

    Nevada, another swing state, showed a similar trend. The USA TODAY/Suffolk poll of Hispanics showed women backing Harris by 39 points (68 percent to 29 percent), while men backed Trump by 6 points (50 percent to 44 percent).

    The Arizona and Nevada polls of 500 self-identified Hispanic voters in each state were conducted Sept. 27 through Oct. 2 by landline and cell phone.

    Among black voters, men gravitate toward the GOP

    Black voters continue to support Democrats by an overwhelming margin, but Trump has made inroads among black men.

    In a USA TODAY/Suffolk poll of Michigan black voterswomen supported Harris by 72 points, with Trump getting a paltry 4 points. But 13 percent of black men backed Trump, eroding Harris’ lead to 53 points — still a huge lead, but a smaller margin than Democrats counted among the party’s most loyal supporters.

    George Powell, 30, a black voter from Lansing, Michigan, is a Democrat but undecided on a candidate.

    “I think Kamala, but I’m not sure,” the car operator said in an interview after being questioned in the national survey. “I feel like she’s the best option, but I’m not big on either candidate.”

    In Pennsylvania, the black gender gap was even wider.

    Women supported Harris by 71 points (78% to 7%), a USA TODAY/Suffolk poll of black voters found, while men supported her by 48 points, Harris at 63% and Trump at 15%.

    The polls of 500 black voters in each state were conducted between August 11 and 14 by landline and cell phone. The margin of error for the gender analysis is approximately 6 points.

    What issues matter most?

    Men and women alike say the economy and inflation are the most important issues this year, although men rank it higher at 34 percent, compared to 26 percent for women.

    After that, the disagreements begin.

    Women rate abortion and women’s rights second at 17%.

    Men rank abortion and women’s rights a distant seventh, cited by just 2%. This was followed by immigration, democracy, honesty/integrity, political positions and foreign affairs.

    The national poll of 1,000 likely voters, conducted by landline and mobile between Oct. 14 and 18, has a margin of error of 3.1 points.

    No girls/boys allowed?

    Are men welcome in the Democratic Party? Are women welcome in the GOP?

    Voters are divided on the matter.

    In the USA TODAY national poll, those polled split 45% yes, 44% no when asked whether the Democratic Party cares more about issues that concern women than men. The split was 43% yes, 48% no, when asked if the Republican Party cares more about issues that concern men than women.

    One group was especially likely to see the GOP as a boys’ club: Three-quarters of Harris voters said Republicans care more about issues that concern men.

    The whole debate can be tense.

    “We don’t discuss it,” said Denise Oberlies, 59, a Republican and Trump supporter from Smithtown, New York, when asked if she noticed a political gender gap among her colleagues at work. “If I want to continue friendships and, you know, working relationships, you have to, to a certain extent, not discuss certain things with certain people.”

    Online Niel
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