The Uncomfortable Truth: Why White Women Voted for Trump Again
The Majority of White Women Want a Male President
The answer isn’t that deep: The majority of white women in this country want a male president — preferably white. That’s not me talking; that’s nearly a century of voting data speaking.
A Century of Voting Data Speaks Volumes
When Barack Obama made history in 2008, he did so with less support from white women than Al Gore had.
The Weeds of Data and Identity
The hunger to dig into the weeds of data, to make the outcome about policy and not identity, speaks to our desire to be united in these states. However, you can’t talk about the results of the 2024 general election — specifically what Kamala Harris’ campaign or Democrats did wrong — without acknowledging the fact a Black female candidate was going to face resistance. No state in this country has even elected a Black woman to be governor.
The Presence of Geraldine Ferraro and the 1984 Democratic Ticket
Also: White women didn’t support Nikki Haley, Hillary Clinton, Carly Fiorina, Elizabeth Warren, or Amy Klobuchar. The presence of Geraldine Ferraro on the 1984 Democratic ticket "made the South ours," said Edward Rollins, President Reagan’s political director.
I Can Understand Being Appalled, but Not Shocked
I keep hearing shock at the outcome of Tuesday’s vote, at Harris’ resounding defeat. I can understand being appalled, but not shocked.
The Reality of Racism and Sexism in America
We are not better than this. "This" — the racism, the sexism — has always been a major part of who we are.
The Long History of Segregation in America
Roy Wilkins, a longtime executive director of the NAACP, once wrote that Brown vs. Board of Education, the Supreme Court’s 1954 decision to end segregation in schools, was "a Second Emancipation Proclamation." He also shared the country’s reaction to that decision: "I remember picking up the newspaper and reading an interview with a fourteen-year-old Dixie belle who said, ‘I’d rather grow up to be an idiot than go to a school with a n— in it.’ Anyone could see that she was well on the way to becoming that idiot." Wilkins added: "A little integrated schooling might have saved her from her fate."
The Norm of Segregation Today
And yet here we are, after two "proclamations," and real emancipation still hasn’t come. Segregation is still the norm.
The Ugliness of Yesteryear
It’s long been said that Sunday morning is the most segregated time in America, but Monday through Friday mornings aren’t much better. Over decades of federal redlining to keep Black people out of nice neighborhoods, to the construction of highways, to the white flight of the ’50s and ’60s, the demographics of today’s local schools reflect the ugliness of yesteryear.
The Lack of Representation in Schools
During her campaign, Harris often pointed out that just 1% of all public school teachers are Black men. Black women are less than 5%. Latinos make up 7%. According to Pew Research Center, nearly 80% of white elementary and secondary public school students went to a school where at least half the students were also white. It would be easy for a white student to grow up in America’s schools without having a classmate of color or seeing a person of color in a leadership role.
The Expectation of White Leadership
This is why most of the people who made Harris’ shortlist of VP candidates were white men. In order to give voters a degree of comfort, she was expected to have someone with the "look" of leadership on the ticket. And so despite having been elected a vice president, a senator, and a state attorney general, Harris still apparently needed a white man on the ticket to give it gravitas in the eyes of voters.
The Real Reason Harris Lost
We all know it.
Conclusion
The real reason Harris lost is not because of the economy, Gaza, or other policy matters. It’s because of the deep-seated racism and sexism that has always been a part of American society. We must acknowledge this reality and work towards change.
FAQs
Q: Why did most white women vote for Trump again?
A: The majority of white women in this country want a male president — preferably white.
Q: What is the significance of the 1984 Democratic ticket?
A: Geraldine Ferraro was the first woman to run for vice president, and her presence on the ticket was seen as a symbol of progress.
Q: How does the author explain the outcome of the 2024 general election?
A: The author believes that the outcome was a result of the racism and sexism that has always been present in American society.
Q: What is the significance of the Brown vs. Board of Education decision?
A: The decision was a major step towards ending segregation in American schools, but it was met with resistance and has not led to true integration.
