Gingrich a Tough Sell Among Florida Women

Posted on Jan 30, 2012

Gage Skidmore (CC-BY-SA)

Here’s an algorithm from the Annals of the Obvious: Conservative women commonly identify as values voters, responding to like-minded candidates and campaigns and bringing what are referred to in certain circles as traditional morals into the booths. Republican presidential candidate Newt Gingrich, while purporting to run on a family-friendly platform, has some blots on his personal record that would appear to contradict these ideals. Thus, although he’s been able to pull off some rhetorical gymnastics when confronted with some awkward claims about his marital past, Gingrich could face some resistance from female voters, if his current standing with women in Florida is any indication.  —KA

The Christian Science Monitor:

On Sunday New York Times columnist Gail Collins went so far as to say that the former Speaker could go down in history as the politician who proved that voters don’t care about the dalliances of their elected officials.

But Mr. Gingrich may still have a problem with female voters. In Florida in particular, he’s less popular among women than he is among men. That gender gap is contributing to the sudden reemergence of Mitt Romney as the favorite for Tuesday’s Florida primary.

In a new NBC/Marist poll, for instance, Gingrich loses to Mr. Romney among women by a wide 47 to 26 percent. He’s behind among men as well, but by a smaller 38 to 29 percent margin.

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