Women Key to Democrat's Victory

We must, as a part of long term strategy to rebuild the DPG, develop a coordinated, well-funded approach for reaching out to female voters. If we did not already know this, then the information shared today through the DNC's Women's Vote Center makes it painfully obvious. Compare this to how women voted in Georgia. Ouch!

WOMEN VOTERS TO BE CREDITED FOR CHANGE


This year women once again made the difference by getting involved in campaigns, volunteering their time, working on the ground with state parties as part of the DNC's 50 state program, and showing up and turning out at the polls.
According to exit polls, Democrats captured the majority of women's votes in key Senate races, handing control of the US Senate back to Democrats. In key takeover Senate races such as Missouri, Montana and Virginia, a clear gender gap delivered those seats for Democrats. And in every Senate race held or won by Democrats, women voters voted in larger numbers than male voters AND gave a larger percentage of their vote to Democratic candidates. Learn more about the gender gap in the Senate races at the Center for American Women in Politics.
Democrats did well among many important subgroups of women, including unmarried women, which the Women's Vote Center targeted through our TAKE SIX in '06 outreach program. Sixty-five percent of all unmarried women voted for Democratic candidates and were 18 percent of the total electorate this cycle. According to Women's Voices Women's Vote, unmarried women turnout in states like Missouri and Ohio was even higher (19 and 21 percent respectively) providing even more votes for our winning Democratic teams.
Other subgroups of the women voters turned out for Democrats at higher levels than in 2004. Hispanic women increased their support of Democrats by 18 percent, young women (18-29) increased their support of Democrats by 14 percent, white women increased their support 8 percent and Independent women's support increased by 12 percent. Reversing a trend from the 2004 election cycle, married women were almost as likely to vote for Democratic candidates as GOP candidates this cycle. [Emily's List, NYTimes]

Sphere: Related Content