Kamala Harris’ Campaign Tackles Gender Bias in 2024 Race \ Newslooks \ Washington DC \ Mary Sidiqi \ Evening Edition \ As Kamala Harris campaigns for the 2024 presidential election, her team is grappling with a critical issue: male voters’ reluctance to support a female candidate. High-profile advocates like former President Barack Obama are making direct appeals to men, especially Black and Hispanic voters, to confront and overcome ingrained gender biases. With polls indicating that the gender of a presidential candidate is not a priority for many voters, Harris’ campaign is using targeted strategies to engage men and challenge stereotypes about female leadership.
Kamala Harris and Gender Bias: Quick Looks
- Concerns grow over male reluctance to support Harris due to her gender.
- Barack Obama makes direct appeals to Black men, encouraging them to back Harris.
- Actor Ed O’Neill stars in an ad calling men to “Be a man: Vote for a woman.”
- Polls show electing a woman president isn’t a priority for most men or women.
- Harris’ campaign targets male voters through issue-based messaging, especially around the economy.
- The campaign is tackling the challenge of “bro culture” appeals made by Donald Trump.
Deep Look
As Kamala Harris campaigns for the presidency in the 2024 election, the question of whether some male voters are reluctant to support her because of her gender has come to the forefront. Though the issue has been a lingering concern for some time, it’s now being openly discussed as Election Day nears. Harris, who is making history as the first woman of color to head a major party’s presidential ticket, faces a unique challenge: overcoming not only political opposition but also the deep-seated biases that some male voters may hold against a female leader.
This growing concern has led Harris’ supporters to make more direct appeals to male voters, addressing the ingrained sexism or plain apathy that might keep them from backing her. Among the most prominent figures advocating for Harris is former President Barack Obama, who has taken a bold approach by directly addressing Black male voters. Speaking at a campaign event, Obama emphasized that reluctance to support Harris could stem from discomfort with the idea of a woman president. He urged voters to reject the notion that masculinity is about putting women down or supporting those who insult and demean them. His plea was straightforward: It’s time to move past outdated views on leadership and embrace the idea that a woman can be the nation’s commander-in-chief.
Obama’s messaging highlights a growing awareness within the Democratic Party that male voters, particularly Black men, might not be fully comfortable with the idea of a woman president. This issue is not confined to Black voters alone, as polling data shows a widespread hesitation among men of various demographics. Many voters, particularly men, still don’t view electing a female president as a significant priority. A Pew Research Center poll conducted last year found that only 18% of U.S. adults consider it extremely or very important for a woman to be elected president in their lifetime. The majority of men, 73%, expressed that it was not important, or that the president’s gender didn’t matter to them at all. Even among women, a notable 57% shared a similar view, indicating that while there is support for female leadership, it is not the driving issue for many voters.
Actor Ed O’Neill, widely known for his role in Modern Family, has also joined the effort to encourage male voters to support Harris. In a new campaign ad, O’Neill bluntly states, “Be a man: Vote for a woman.” This direct message contrasts with Harris’ own campaign style, which has largely avoided emphasizing her historic candidacy. While Hillary Clinton leaned into the groundbreaking nature of her 2016 run as the first female presidential nominee, Harris has focused more on her policy credentials and experience, particularly her background as a prosecutor. During her speech at the Democratic convention, for example, Harris highlighted the strength of the U.S. military, framing herself as a strong, capable leader who can handle national security challenges. According to Debbie Walsh, director of the Center for American Women in Politics at Rutgers University, Harris has been cautious in her approach to gender-related messaging. “I don’t think she can get up and say, ‘Shame on you,'” Walsh explained, referring to appeals to male voters. “She needs these outside validators” like Obama and O’Neill to deliver the message on her behalf.
Harris’ campaign is also keenly aware that while women make up a larger share of the electorate than men—53% in 2020—male voters still play a crucial role, especially in swing states. AP VoteCast, a survey of 2020 voters, showed that men were more likely to support Donald Trump, while women favored Joe Biden. This gender divide is a hurdle Harris must overcome if she hopes to win in 2024. Her campaign team recognizes that her support among men, particularly Hispanic and Black men, lags behind that of women. According to a recent poll by The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research, while Hispanic women generally have a favorable view of Harris and a negative one of Trump, Hispanic men are more divided. This split reflects a broader trend, with men being more likely to either support Trump or abstain from voting altogether.
To counter these challenges, Harris’ campaign has launched targeted efforts to engage male voters. Minnesota Governor Tim Walz, her running mate, has taken a particularly active role in these efforts, spearheading initiatives like “Hombres con Harris” to energize Hispanic men. He has also used unorthodox methods to connect with younger, tech-savvy male voters, including livestreaming campaign events on Twitch, a platform dominated by male gamers. One rally in Arizona, for instance, was streamed alongside a Twitch personality playing World of Warcraft—a creative attempt to reach men who might otherwise tune out traditional political appeals. Walz has also leaned into his personal background, attending a high school football game in Minnesota and even planning a hunting trip, all aimed at solidifying his connection with male voters.
At the same time, Harris has begun to ramp up her outreach to young men by tapping into pop culture and issues they care about. She’s appeared on the digital cover of Vogue and participated in an interview with the popular Call Her Daddy podcast, which resonates with younger audiences, particularly women. Additionally, Harris is set to engage with Charlamagne tha God, a radio personality with significant influence among Black male listeners, in an effort to bridge the gender gap in voter support.
While Harris’ campaign is making concerted efforts to connect with male voters, it faces stiff competition from Trump, who continues to successfully appeal to a certain segment of men through his hyper-masculine persona and “bro culture” messaging. Trump has repeatedly belittled Harris, including calling her “a dumb person” during a recent rally and attacking her intelligence on social media. His remarks are often targeted at reinforcing traditional gender roles, appealing to men who associate strength with male dominance and view women in positions of power with skepticism.
Harris’ team is working to neutralize these attacks by focusing on issues that matter to men, such as the economy and technological advancements like cryptocurrency, an area where Trump and Harris differ. Harris supports more stringent regulation of crypto, while Trump has a more hands-off approach. These policy differences, combined with a focus on engaging men through relatable platforms and activities, are part of the broader strategy to win over reluctant male voters as the race enters its final stretch.
In the coming weeks, the Harris campaign will continue to expand its outreach efforts, with plans to have the vice president and Governor Walz appear in male-focused media and at sporting events. As Harris works to overcome the gender bias that could hinder her support among men, her campaign remains hopeful that a combination of personal outreach, issue-based appeals, and strategic messaging will help sway male voters in her favor.
Kamala Harris’ Campaign
