For VP Choice -- Majority of Women Voters Say Gender Does Not Matter

The Lifetime Poll that I previously wrote about for HuffPo clearly outlined that for the majority of women voters queried on the Vice-Presidential slot, gender did not matter. McCain's choice of Gov. Sarah Palin will make no difference to 62% of the female electorate.

Ironically, the statistics gathered showed that selecting a woman for the number two position would result in a net negative for McCain. While 15% said they would be more likely to support McCain if he picked a woman, 20% said they would be less likely to pick him if a woman were on his ticket.

It is impossible to gauge what the motivation for the choice of this particular woman had for the McCain campaign. Kay Bailey Hutchison, senior Senator from Texas (elected in 1993) who serves on the Appropriations Committee and is the fifth-ranking Republican in the Senate, would have seemed like a more appropriate choice.

If the McCain team had know that 59% of Hillary's primary supporters were unmoved by a
woman on the McCain ticket, perhaps their choice for a candidate ready to take over the role of Commander-in-Chief would have been different.

Read more reaction from HuffPost bloggers to John McCain's selection of Sarah Palin as his running mate

Follow Marcia G. Yerman on Twitter: www.twitter.com/mgyerman

Comments

[natsha55]

That still leaves 41% ...of whom I am one.....
Gender does count to some of us women...th­e same way that having a black candidate is important to black voters....­I went around at my job and questioned several of my black co-workers and asked them what they knew about Obama or what he stood for and they could not answer....­.but they were of course going to vote for him.....so my question is if its ok for black voters to vote for a black candidate why isn't it ok for a women to vote for a woman??? Your right she's not Hillary...­.but at this point in my life any woman is progress! The democrats dropped the ball and left women where they always do...at the front door. And frankly I am sick of it all!

[velkyrie]

Palin wasn't chosen to attract women to the ticket. She was broght in to mobilize the GOTV efforts of Fundies who would otherwise have probalby had very little interest in helping McCain as they've never really trusted him. If she attracts a few women, it would be a fringe benefit but she is not likely to appeal to them in any way that will take votes from Democrats in places like Montana and New Mexico or Colorado. The independents there will ditch Palin from consideration as soon as hey learn about her extremist Fundie religious agenda. They're hoping she will draw some ire or words from any Democrat willing to talk to her, so that it can be twisted into a cable news story for a day or so.

[sociocanuck]

The republican entitiies trolling these boards with a denial or refutation at the ready (for virtually every issue they disagree with) will chose not to believe these statistics; I garuantee. It doesn't fit with *their* narrative.

[PSD827]

I saw Yerman's earlier article, too bad McCain didn't...

[wherewearenow]

Palin wasn’t McCains first choice. She was probably # 32. After the 31st told John’s people that they were very honored but they have decided “to spend more time with the family”. Palin received John’s invite onto his sinking ship and accepted. With her executive experience as mayor, of Wasilla a town of 3,900 freezing Alaskans she is certainly ready for Presidential responsibilities. Considering McCain’s fragility she might be POUSA Considering the present Oval office holder,anybody could be POUSA.