Washington DC, United States

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The United States has come far ahead from the time when fierce debates were held, public speeches were given and people marched in support of women's suffrage. Today, women voters play an equal role in government formation and have an equally significant impact on the presidential election results, with around 89 million women registered to vote this year.

In an effort to try to understand the political sentiment of these crucial women voters, the leading health policy and polling organisation of the United States, KFF, carried out various surveys among women voters and found that the wave has strongly shifted towards Democratic presidential candidate Kamala Harris and Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump is at the losing end.

This substantial shift in the political alignment of women voters has taken place over some key election issues like inflation, threats to democracy, and the increasing cost of healthcare with abortion trumping others but not in favour of Trump.

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"Kamala Harris's clear support for abortion rights resonates with many younger women voters, as data from the Pew Research Center shows that 63% of Americans favour legal abortion in most cases," said Annika​​​​ ​Silva‑Leander, Head of North America and Permanent Observer to the United Nations, International IDEA, while speaking to WION.

Referring to economic issues and inflation as "competing priorities" for the voters, Silva-Leander said, "Ultimately, while abortion may mobilize key segments of the electorate, the impact will depend on how voters balance these competing priorities, particularly in swing states."

Trump's strained relations with women voters

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Days back while addressing a rally in Arizona, Trump was ogling his beautiful supporter and not really holding himself back from appreciating her beauty but moments later chose to go back on the path of political correctness by saying, "I'm not allowed to call you a beautiful woman".

Also Read: Donald Trump to work in McDonald's, likely to try his hands on fry cooking

This is not the first time Trump, who has been entangled in the hush money case with porn star Stormy Daniels, has been seen making uncomfortable remarks about women.

"Trump's history of derogatory comments may alienate a demographic that is increasingly mobilised and engaged," said Saurabh Shukla, the founder of NewsMobile and strategic affairs expert, while speaking to WION from Washington, DC, United States.

The culture of male dominance in Trump's campaign has further been highlighted by his running mate Senator JD Vance's "childless cat ladies" remark against Harris and her supporter and pop star Taylor Swift.

Speaking about similar sentiments amid the Democratic crowd, Obama had recently said, “I’m sorry, gentlemen, I’ve noticed this, especially, with some men who seem to think some of Trump’s behaviour — the bullying and the putting people down — is a sign of strength. And I am here to tell you: That is not what real strength is. It never has been."

With abortion emerging as the hottest topic for women voters, Trump's unclear stance on it with an attitude of "we’ll see what happens" is only pushing him further away from the female population.

Speaking about the battle between the presidential nominees, Shukla said, "Harris has been vocal about protecting abortion rights, a position that resonates deeply with many constituents, especially in the wake of recent legislative changes that threaten reproductive freedoms. In contrast, Trump's approach appears to underestimate the impact of women voters. His history of derogatory comments may alienate a demographic that is increasingly mobilised and engaged."

Experts are also not batting for Trump as the perfect presidential candidate to take the helm amid rising inflation and increasing cost of household expenses, another issue which deeply concerns female voters.

Many economists have suggested that prices are likely to rise faster under Trump's administration and not if Harris comes to power.

Watch: US Election 2024: Harris Mocks Trump Over Town Hall 'Dance'

"The combination of these key issues—abortion rights and economic instability—creates a charged atmosphere in which women's voices could significantly influence the election outcome. If Harris successfully harnesses this momentum, she could not only bolster her own candidacy but reshape the narrative surrounding women's electoral power," emphasised the founder of NewsMobile.

Why Kamala Harris is emerging as women's favourite?

With Trump not really aligning with the ideas and thoughts of female voters, Kamala Harris seems to have slowly crept into the room left open for her mistakenly by her opponent.

Harris, who is a woman of colour, appears to have resonated with many and her campaign by keeping her gender or race off the rails, has helped her gain mass popularity.

But above all, her strong stance on the issue of abortion and a belief by experts that she will be able to control the reins of inflation are the factors keeping her ahead in the race.

According to a poll, she has been leading among female voters in almost all swing states, except for Arizona.

"As we move closer to the elections, it will be crucial to observe how these dynamics evolve. The implications for both candidates are profound, and the focus on women's issues could very well determine the trajectory of the electoral race," explained Shukla.