In what is truly some unsurprising bit of polling, a new Reuters/Ipsos poll found that half of American women have a “very unfavorable” view of Donald Trump. Though the likely Republican presidential nominee claims to “cherish” women, touting the in-depth policy, “I will be so good to women,” it appears that a sizable number of women are repulsed by Trump’s consistent attacks on nearly every woman in the public sphere.
Women who spoke to Reuters laid out a rather sizable list of why they oppose Trump, but most were repulsed by his consistently disparaging remarks about women and were particularly dismayed by his treatment of Megyn Kelly. Since an early Republican debate in September 2015, where Kelly asked him about him about “disparaging” remarks made about women on social media, Trump has fixated on her with a certain stalker-like intensity: from calling her a bimbo to his infamous comment about “blood coming out of her wherever,” to whatever indignity he’s perceived to have suffered today. Kelly isn’t the only female reporter who has been treated so dismissively by Trump and his campaign, but she’s certainly one of the most public.
In addition to his “belittling” treatment of women, female voters also disapproved of Trump’s policies on immigration, as well as his treatment of his fellow candidates. Trump has repeatedly questioned the virility of his competition, as well as Carly Fiorina’s face. A 52-year-old Florida voter told Reuters that she decided against Trump after watching a debate. “It changed my opinion. When they catfight all the time and act like little boys, pointing fingers, raising voices,” she said. Unlike the Florida voter, nearly all of Trump’s former competition have forgiven him.
Reuters points out that such a disproportionate disapproval from women voters, who account for slightly more than half of American voters, could make the road to the White House difficult for Trump (duh). But if Trump has one savior, it’s men, particularly white men:
The Reuters/Ipsos polling results showed that just 36 percent of men said they have a “very unfavorable” opinion of Trump, a level that has held steady in recent months.
That’s likely good news for the Trump campaign, a recent Politico report estimated that he would need seven out of ten white men to vote for him in order to win the presidency. At 70 percent, that would be the largest percentage of that demographic than Republicans have ever won before.
He is also polling above average with women who identify as Republicans. Among that group, Trump has a 60 percent approval rating.
In an attempt to continue to drive a wedge between Trump and women voters, Our Principles PAC, a conservative anti-Trump group, recently released a video of women narrating all of the terrible things he’s said about women.
“Women,” an actress narrates, “you have to treat them like shit.” Whether or not the ad, which treds on well-trod ground, will be effective at further driving a wedge between Trump and female voters is hard to say. Trump’s misogyny is well-documented, but doesn’t seem to hurt him among staunch supporters. Katherine Douglas, a 65-year-old Trump supporter in Florida, told Reuters that she like his unpredictability. “He’s going to put other world leaders on edge,” Douglas said.
Trump’s campaign declined to comment specifically on the poll, but said that Trump was “has had good relationships with women in his business career and is well-liked by women voters.”
Image via AP.