Among many other speeches given at the Republican National Convention this week, several congressional women took the stage to advocate for former President Donald Trump as the only man fit for the job.
With the female vote statistically gearing toward the Democratic Party, the gap between women voting either Republican or Democrat is starting to shrink, said those in attendance.
“The left only really wants to talk to women about abortion,” said U.S. Rep. Kat Cammack, R-Gainesville. “As a woman, I find that deeply offensive.”
In 2022, The Pew Research Center found 48 percent of women voted for GOP candidates — a jump from previous years.
The shift in voting patterns can be attributed to a shift in political priorities, Cammack said. Women care about more than just abortion, and she said the Republican party reflects that.
“I care about national security,” she said. “I care about crime in our communities. I care about a booming economy. There are so many issues that women care about.”
And the softer rhetoric toward abortion this week was noticeable, where immigration and fentanyl were common talking points.
Iowa Attorney General Brenna Bird said she doesn’t think the Democratic Party has much to offer women anymore. Her speech Tuesday evening honed in on “backing the blue,” in which she said Democrats favored “handouts not handcuffs” above all else.
“We all want to be safe, and have safe communities,” Bird said. “...women have moved beyond identity politics.”
Family values were emphasized throughout Tuesday night’s speeches in light of former President Trump’s assassination attempt Saturday.Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders and Lara Trump delivered heartwarming tales about Trump, painting him as a loving father and compassionate leader.
“Thank you for never giving up on me, and thank you for never giving up on our country,” Lara Trump said to former President Trump in the crowd.
The next generation of children is important to women voters, Bird said, and keeping them safe is a top priority.
As several of the speakers shared fond memories of the former president, several others told grim tales of family member loss.
Anne Funder lost her 15-year-old son to an accidental fentanyl overdose in 2022 and blamed President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris for not doing more to secure the borders and keep fentanyl out.
“The message the Republican Party has about stopping fentanyl and keeping communities safe, I think those are important messages, too, that a lot of women care about,” Bird said.
Evan Power, chairman of the Republican Party of Florida, said freedom and choice are at the heart of the party platform and will win over all kinds of voters in the end. The rhetoric representing the Republican Party as the party of safety, security and unity are all favorable in terms of swaying the female vote, he said.
“It’s the same message of what we’ve delivered in Florida of giving the freedom and the choice to live their lives how they want and be able to achieve whatever they can economically and that wins over women voters,” he said.
However, abortion still remains a contested issue on both a state and national level. Republicans in the Florida Legislature and U.S. House and Senate continue to encourage abortion restrictions, even though 64%of women and 61% of men support legal abortion access.
Although more issues come into play when it comes to placing a ballot, abortion remains a motivating factor for women and younger voters in the 2024 election, according to the Public Religion Research Institute.
“Women are dynamic, smart and leaders and we care about a whole slate of issues,” Cammack said.