Kamala Harris male voter support/ gender bias in voting/ Kamala Harris outreach to men/ 2024 election gender dynamics/ Newslooks/ WASHINGTON/ J. Mansour/ Morning Edition/ Kamala Harris’ supporters are increasingly confronting the question of whether some men are hesitant to vote for a female presidential candidate. With appeals from high-profile allies like Barack Obama and creative outreach strategies, Harris’ team is trying to reach male voters directly and challenge lingering biases.
Harris’ Campaign Confronts Gender Bias Concerns Among Male Voters Quick Looks
- Reluctance of Male Voters: Concerns persist over men’s willingness to support a female candidate.
- Obama’s Direct Appeal: Barack Obama calls on Black men to support Harris.
- Outreach Strategies: Harris’ allies launch targeted efforts like “Hombres con Harris” to reach male voters.
- Addressing Bias and Perceptions: Harris’ team seeks to counter Trump’s critiques and engage young male audiences.
Are Men Reluctant to Support Harris? Her Allies Face Question Head-On
Deep Look
With Election Day approaching, Kamala Harris’ campaign has begun tackling an often unspoken question directly: are some men hesitant to support Harris because she’s a woman? Harris has largely avoided focusing on her gender during her campaign, but her supporters are making strategic appeals to male voters, particularly in communities where they sense a reluctance to support her.
Former President Barack Obama, speaking to Black male voters in Pennsylvania this week, broached the subject openly. He expressed concern that some men may be reluctant to back Harris due to her gender, calling on them to recognize her leadership over Trump, who he described as a divisive figure who degrades others. “You’re thinking about sitting out, or supporting somebody who has a history of denigrating you, because you think that’s a sign of strength?” Obama said, emphasizing that putting women down doesn’t define masculinity.
Even prominent supporters beyond Obama are targeting men with messages challenging gender biases, hoping to encourage voters to look past stereotypes. Actor Ed O’Neill recently appeared in a Harris campaign ad urging men to “be a man” and “vote for a woman.” His appeal was aimed at encouraging male voters to consider Harris’s merits rather than her gender, offering a direct counterpoint to some traditional ideas around masculinity in politics.
Harris herself has refrained from directly confronting the gender issue, often highlighting her qualifications and leadership style instead. She speaks often of her experience as a prosecutor and positions herself as a practical problem-solver. In this sense, her campaign approach contrasts sharply with previous women candidates like Hillary Clinton, who explicitly leaned into her historic candidacy in 2016. Instead, Harris has focused on demonstrating her readiness to lead and ability to connect with voters on issues they care about, like the economy and health care.
Reaching Men Across Demographics
Outreach efforts also target Hispanic men, as demonstrated by the “Hombres con Harris” initiative led by her running mate, Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz, and aimed at mobilizing Latino male voters. While polling indicates that Harris has a strong level of support among Hispanic women, Hispanic men remain divided on her candidacy. Support from allies like Walz—who is spending time in communities where Harris has strong but mixed support—is hoped to increase her appeal in crucial voter segments.
At campaign stops, Harris’s team has noted Trump’s efforts to use cultural messaging to appeal to male voters, a group the former president consistently polls well with, including young men of all backgrounds. Trump’s campaign also heavily uses podcasts and digital channels that are popular among younger male voters, and he often participates in interviews and events that focus on “bro” culture.
Trump has a long history of demeaning comments toward women, including Harris. Most recently, he called her “dumb” after she appeared on “The View,” a critique Harris supporters are eager to counter with an emphasis on her intelligence and experience. This week, however, Trump will appear in a Fox News town hall focusing on women’s issues, despite an apparent lack of policy specificity in this area.
The Harris campaign, aiming to counter Trump’s rhetoric and connect with men, has turned to popular social media and digital platforms where Harris will discuss issues relevant to younger voters, including cryptocurrency and economic empowerment. She also appeared on the cover of Vogue and recently recorded an interview on the popular podcast Call Her Daddy, though the latter is more popular with women than men. In another targeted move, she will sit down next week with radio personality Charlamagne tha God to reach Black men, a demographic where Harris has faced an enthusiasm gap compared to previous Democratic candidates.
Meanwhile, Walz has been spending time on the campaign trail with Harris in Texas and Arizona, where he’s made inroads with young male voters through unconventional channels. Recently, one of his rallies was livestreamed via Twitch, a popular platform among young male gamers, where a streamer offered commentary on the event. Walz, a former assistant coach and football fan, plans to attend a high school football game this weekend to appeal to sports fans, adding to his “Hombres” outreach efforts with visits to Hispanic communities.
Gender Equality: A Lower Priority for Male Voters
Polling from the Pew Research Center suggests that electing a woman president is not a top priority for many voters, particularly men. In a survey last year, only 18% of Americans rated the election of a female president as “very important,” and 73% of men stated that the president’s gender wasn’t relevant to them.
AP-NORC polling suggests Harris’ support among men lags behind her support among women, especially among Hispanic men. Senior campaign officials acknowledge that Trump’s appeal with certain voter demographics, particularly younger male voters, is concerning. Trump’s critiques, while often personal, are intended to resonate with a demographic that he believes Harris struggles to connect with directly.
Looking Ahead
With the election drawing near, Harris’s allies are actively engaging male voters, hoping to encourage broader support by dismantling outdated stereotypes and emphasizing her capabilities as a leader. Walz, an active campaign surrogate, has frequently spoken of his admiration for Harris, noting that her experience, coupled with her calm demeanor, are assets the country needs. At a recent event, he expressed his anticipation of victory, saying, “How often in the world do you make that bastard wake up afterward and know that a Black woman kicked his ass?”
Ultimately, the Harris campaign is banking on a broad coalition of support, but it will require overcoming lingering biases among some male voters. By combining a direct approach and persistent outreach, Harris’s supporters hope to build a foundation for victory grounded in gender equality and her track record, rather than letting stereotypes shape voters’ choices in the ballot box.
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