Former President Trump is banking on support from male voters to make up for his low approval rating among female voters, and the gender gap in approval ratings between Trump and Vice President Harris is expected to play a key role in the November election.
Trump's lack of support among female voters is well documented — polls show he receives lower approval ratings among them — but his supporters point to his persistent support among men, and his campaign's efforts to woo young men in particular, as a way to make up for this disadvantage.
Trump has attended multiple Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) events, participated in professional golfer Bryson DeChambeau's YouTube show, appeared alongside controversial internet streamer Adyn Ross, and spoken with podcasters such as Theo Vonn and influencer and wrestler Logan Paul.
The appearances are part of a broader effort by the former president's campaign to connect with young men, a group that both sides see as easy to persuade in the election.
“Democrats continue to lose support from male voters with every election because Kamala Harris' policies of increasing costs, higher taxes, an open southern border, and making America weaker in the eyes of the world put all Americans at a disadvantage,” Brian Hughes, a senior adviser to the Trump campaign, said in a statement. “Male voters know that if they want more money in their pockets, safer communities, and peace through strength, President Trump is their only choice on November 5th.”
Male voters are not a monolith — nor are black and Latino men — but the Trump campaign has sought to appeal to each group through media appearances, celebrity endorsements and a “strength versus weakness” campaign theme.
Trump's supporters suggest the former president's popularity among male voters is due to his appeal on issues like the economy and immigration. Other issues, like abortion, which Harris has made a central part of her campaign, tend to be less important to many male voters.
“The biggest issues for men in this election are inflation and the border. Men aren't thinking about abortion as much as many women are,” the Republican strategist said.
Polls have consistently shown that voters trust Trump more on immigration, and Harris has closed the gap on the economy, where Trump has long held the lead.
Trump won among male voters by 8 percentage points in 2020.Exit pollsHe received 53 percent of the vote, while President Biden received 45 percent.
CNNNational opinion pollThe poll released Tuesday showed Trump leading Harris among men by nine points, 52-43.
A New York Times/Siena College poll conducted after the Trump-Harris debate on September 10 found that Republican Harris had a 17-point lead among men, with 62 percent of them saying the country is heading in the wrong direction.
The poll also showed a stark gender gap, with Harris leading by 11 points among women.
A poll released Tuesday by the Harvard Institute of Politics said: 2,002 voters under the age of 30 The survey found that Ms Harris led Mr Trump by 17 percentage points among male voters and 47 percentage points among female voters.
“This is one of those polls that's not very nuanced. Harris has the lead. She's ahead with nearly every group, including men and young people who didn't go to college,” said John Della Volpe, the institute's polling director. Post to social platform X.
Harris' campaign argued that the former president's appeals to male voters were largely hollow and didn't offer concrete solutions to specific problems, and spokespeople argued that the Democratic effort seeks to reach men and young men where they consume information.
“With a few podcast appearances and empty gestures, Trump has peddled up mostly empty policies on issues that men care about. Instead, he's promised a national abortion ban, cut off health insurance for children and raise taxes on the middle class. Meanwhile, VP Harris and her team are traveling everywhere talking about a future where everyone has a chance to not just survive but thrive,” Harris campaign spokesman Seth Schuster said in a statement.
The Harris campaign has aired ads during NFL and college football games and has capitalized on Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz's (D) background as a football coach. Walz and other surrogates have toured college campuses in recent weeks, and the governor has met with student club members to talk about the importance of voting.
The Harris campaign has also built a strong presence on TikTok, podcasts and Instagram, partnering with influencers with large followings, especially among men. The campaign was interviewed this week by former NBA players Matt Barnes and Stephen Jackson.
Harris' supporters have also been trying to shore up her support, especially among white men. A group called “White Men for Harris” has been holding virtual fundraisers to drum up support and launched a $10 million ad campaign last week, with its first ads targeted at white men in Michigan, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin.
In a recent interview with the National Association of Black Journalists, Harris rejected the idea that black men are following Trump, saying candidates have to “earn” their votes just like any other group.
“So I'm working to get the right to vote, not because I assume that because I'm black I'm going to get the right to vote, but because my policies and my perspective are because I understand that we have to do to recognize the needs of all communities, and I'm going to be a president for all people,” she said.
