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Senator Hillary Clinton |
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Hillary for President web site |
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First woman to win a major party's presidential primary
Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton is the first woman to win a major party's presidential primary for the purposes of delegate selection. Some sources have reported that Congresswoman Shirley Chisholm was the first woman to win a major-party presidential primary, winning three contests in 1972. In fact, Chisholm did earn delegates that year, but not by winning true primaries. |
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In New Jersey, Chisholm beat North Carolina Governor Terry Sanford in an optional, non-binding presidential preference "beauty contest" in which they were the only entrants, while Senator George McGovern beat former Vice President Hubert Humphrey in the meaningful contest, the delegate selection primary. In Louisiana, McGovern and Chisholm were the only candidates represented at caucuses, and together they won a majority of the delegates. In Mississippi, two factions of Democrats -- the regulars and the descendants of the 1968 Freedom Democrats, held conventions. Chisholm led in the convention of the latter group, which was seated at the Democratic National Convention. Chisholm won approximately 152 votes at that convention; the exact total is reported differently by various sources, but 151.95 is cited frequently. This represents 5.0 percent of the total of 3016 delegate votes. McGovern ultimately won the Democratic nomination. |
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(Sources: CQ Guide to U.S. Elections and The New York Times.) |
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New USA Today/Gallup polling conducted this past weekend [November 3-4, 2007] shows few signs that front-runner Sen. Hillary Clinton’s standing among Democrats nationally was affected by the recent Democratic candidate debate at Drexel University in Philadelphia. Clinton continues to lead all contenders as Democrats’ first choice for the nomination, with half of the Democratic vote -- more than double the support of her nearest challenger, Sen. Barack Obama. |
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An aggregated sample of Gallup Polls between June and September 2007 identifies groups most and least likely to have favorable opinions of Senator Hillary Clinton, based on factors including age, gender, education, race, region, church attendance, income, marital status, partisanship, and ideology. Those most likely to have favorable views of her include Blacks, Democrats, and liberals, while those least likely to hold such views include Republicans and conservatives. |
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A New York Times-CBS News Poll conducted July 9-17 finds that voters think Senator Hillary Clinton can win in November. They hold mixed views about her likely effectiveness on a variety of issues. On almost every question, there is a significant gender gap, with women viewing Senator Clinton more positively than men. |
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A June 2007 Gallup Poll asked Americans to name potential positive and
negative outcomes of Senator Hillary Clinton becoming President. |
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June 29, 2007 Gallup Poll: Clinton Most Positively Rated Candidate Among Blacks, Hispanics;
Blacks rate Obama positively by 8-to-1 margin |
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June 28, 2007 Gallup Poll: Clinton Dominant Leader Among Hispanic Democrats; Blacks divided as to whether Clinton or Obama would better represent their
interests |
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From a Washington Post article, June 12, 2007:
According to a June Washington Post-ABC News poll, "The consistent lead that Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton of New York has maintained over Sen. Barack Obama of Illinois and others in the race for the 2008 Democratic presidential nomination is due largely to one factor: her support from women." |
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May 09, 2007 Pew Research Poll: Gender differences in support for Clinton similar to those for Democratic women who run for statewide office
The Pew Center for the People and the Press compared recent information about Senator Clinton's standing in the polls with data from 40 senatorial and gubernatorial elections since 1998 in which a female Democratic candidate faced a male Republican. |
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May 04, 2007 Gallup Poll: Hillary's Image:Public Rates Clinton |
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April 10, 2007 Gallup Poll: Hillary Clinton Remains Dominant Front-Runner Among Democrats |
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April 2, 2007 Gallup Poll: Hillary Clinton's Gender Gap Most Evident Among Independents |
 A Woman President? Polling Data |
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In anticipation of the 2008 presidential race, CAWP is compiling polling data on the question of how Americans feel about a woman as a presidential candidate. The focus here is not on testing the prospects of individual candidates, but rather on exploring the presidential prospects for women in general. We will update this list when new polls are published.
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March 15-18 2008 CBS News Poll |
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A CBS News poll of 1,067 voters finds that they see gender as more of a barrier in presidential politics than race. Thirty nine percent of registered voters said a woman faces more obstacles in a presidential race while 33 percent said a black candidate does. 42 percent of voters said they felt Senator Hillary Clinton has been treated more harshly because of her gender, while just 27 percent felt Senator Barack Obama has been treated more harshly because of his race. Respondents say more people they know would be likely to vote for a black candidate than a woman. Fifty six percent said that "most people" they know would vote for a black candidate for president, while 46 percent said the same of a woman candidate. 45 percent said "most people" they know would not vote for a woman. At the same time, respondents also called racism (42 percent) a "more serious" problem than sexism (10%).
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September 12-16 2007 Pew Research Center for the People and the Press Survey |
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A Pew Research Center for the People and the Press survey conducted September 12-16 finds that voters view Senator Clinton as "tough" and "smart" when asked to choose which candidates best fit certain descriptors.
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August 14-16 2007 Research 2000 Poll |
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In a survey of 600 voters conducted August 14-16 for the Reno Gazette-Journal in the early primary state of Nevada, 71 percent said they thought Nevadans would vote for a qualified woman for president. By comparison, 69 percent thought people in the state would vote for a qualified Black candidate, and 65 percent said Nevadans would vote for a Mormon.
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July 2007 Newsweek Poll |
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According to a Newsweek Poll conducted by Princeton Survey Research Associates International July 2-3, large majorities of Americans are willing to vote for either a woman or an African-American candidate for President. But when asked whether or not the country is ready to accept a black or female President, the numbers drop significantly. (This poll also includes "horse race" data for the 2008 Democratic primaries.)
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March 2007 Gallup Poll |
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Looking at five key traits of potential presidential candidates, a Gallup Poll with an aggregated sample of over 2,000 interviews conducted in two surveys (Feb. 9-11, 2007 and March 2-4, 2007), found that most Americans are comfortable voting for a black (84%) or a female (77%) candidate.
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December 2006 Newsweek Poll |
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A poll of 1,000 adults taken for Newsweek in December 2006 found that 86 percent of respondents said that if their party nominated a woman for president, they would vote for her if she were qualified for the job. 55 percent said that America is ready to elect a woman president. 93 percent said they would vote for a qualified African-American candidate from their party, and 56 percent said the country is ready to elect an African-American president.
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September 2006 Gallup Poll |
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A September 2006 Gallup survey finds that about three fifths of Americans believe the country is ready to have a woman president. Similar proportions say that the country is ready for a black or Jewish president, but the numbers who think the country is ready for a Hispanic, Asian or Mormon president are somewhat lower, and far smaller numbers say the country would elect an atheist or gay or lesbian president.
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March 2006 Field Poll of California registered voters |
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According to a March 2006 Field Poll of California registered voters, 69% think the country is ready for a woman president, while 24% disagree.
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February 2006 CBS/New York Times Poll |
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According to a February 2006 CBS/New York Times Poll, 92% of Americans say they would vote for a qualified woman presidential candidate from their own political party. 55% of those polled think that the U.S. is ready to elect a woman president, up from 40% in 1996.
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February 2006 Financial Dynamics for Diageo/Hotline Poll |
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A February 2006 poll conducted by Financial Dynamics for Diageo/Hotline saw majorities of both men (57%) and women (55%) agreeing that a female candidate could be elected president.
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Hearst Newspapers/Siena College Poll in February 2006 |
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A Hearst Newspapers/Siena College Poll in February 2006 showed that 64% said the US was ready for a woman president. In February 2005, asked the same questions, 62% of respondents thought that the US was ready for a woman president, and 81% said they would be willing vote for a woman themselves.
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February 2006 WNBC/Marist Poll |
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A February 2006 WNBC/Marist Poll showed that 23% of voters would be likely to support a woman candidate for president from either major party, while 27% would not be likely to support a woman presidential candidate from either party. For 28%, the only woman candidate likely to gain their support would be a Democrat, while only a Republican woman would draw the votes of 22%. An October 2005 WNBC/Marist Poll found similar results.
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January 2006 CNN/USA Today/Gallup Poll |
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A January 2006 CNN/USA Today/Gallup Poll found the two women most frequently mentioned as potential presidential candidates of their respective parties were each opposed by about half the electorate.
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September 2005 Poll by Roper Public Affairs |
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A poll conducted in September 2005 by Roper Public Affairs for the White House Project found that a large majority of Americans (79%) were comfortable with the idea of a woman president. The study also asked about comfort levels with women in other high-level positions and found even larger majorities comfortable with a woman as vice president (84%) and Supreme Court justice (90%).
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September 2005 Gallup Poll for CNN/USA Today |
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A poll taken in September 2005 by Gallup for CNN/USA Today found that nearly half of Americans,46%, thought the United States would have a female president within the next 10 years, and an additional 41% said within the next 10 to 25 years.
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Rasmussen Poll in April 2005 |
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According to a Rasmussen Poll in April 2005, 72% of Americans said they would be willing to vote for a woman for president, but only 49% thought their family, friends and co-workers would vote for a woman candidate.
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May-June 2003 Gallup Poll |
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Over the years, Gallup Polls have shown an increased acceptance of the concept of a female presidential candidate. In May-June 2003, 87% of Americans said they would vote for a woman if their party nominated a qualified one for president, down slightly from 1999, but overwhelmingly higher than when Gallup first asked the question in 1937.
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The Women's Vote and the 2008 Presidential Election |
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The SES Factor (socioeconomic status)
by Gary Langer, ABCnews.com, February 19, 2008
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Super Tuesday - Proportions of Men and Women Voting for Hillary Clinton
This CAWP fact sheet lists proportions of men and women voting for Hillary Clinton in primary states on super Tuesday, February 5, 2008. |
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Young Feminists Split: Does Gender Matter?
by Eli Saslow, Washington Post on January 11, 2008 |
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Clinton Propelled by Support from Young Women in '08 Test
Pew Research Center Survey Report, October 31, 2007 |
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Women Key to Growing Clinton Lead Among Democrats
by Jeffrey M. Jones, Gallup, October 29, 2007 |
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Clinton Shows Femininity to Court Key Constituency
By Marcella Bombardieri, The Boston Globe, Thursday, October 18, 2007 |
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Encouraged by Women's Response, Clinton Stresses the Female Side
by Anne E. Kornblut,
Washington Post,
Sunday, October 14, 2007 |
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Clinton-Obama Quandry for Many Black Women
by Katharine Q. Steele, New York Times, October 14 2007 |
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Candidate preferences by gender, age
Iowa Poll conducted October 1-3, 2007, by the Des Moines Register |
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In a Clinton vs. Guilliani race, a Battle of Competing Legacies
ABC News/Washington Post Poll, Wednesday, October 3, 2007 |
CAWP historical fact sheet of women who have run for president or vice president in the U. S.
| Women Leaders Around the World |
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Many other countries are well ahead of the U.S. in choosing women as heads of government and/or heads of state. To explore the global context for women's leadership, visit the websites listed below.
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Council of Women World Leaders
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Worldwide Guide to Women in Leadership
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Women and Parliaments
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