Ann Richards is in Austin campaigning for the Democratic ticket. The story contains some interesting tidbits about polls and female voters:
In November 2000, according to U.S. Census Bureau figures, 3.3 million men and 3.7 million women voted in Texas.
[…]
In a poll conducted for the Dallas Morning News two weeks ago by Blum & Weprin Associates, Cornyn had 45 percent of the female vote to 39 percent for Kirk, while Sanchez had just 33 percent of the women’s vote to 51 percent for Perry.
The poll showed Cornyn and Perry with double-digit leads overall. The margin of error was plus-or-minus 3 percentage points.
Ben Tulchin of California-based Fairbank, Maslin, Maullin and Associates said his polling for the Democrats shows the race much closer, including among women. Democrats contend Republicans are overrepresented in that poll.
Tulchin said 10 percent to 15 percent of voters are undecided, and 60 percent of those are women.
Generically, Tulchin said, women identify themselves 40 percent as Democratic, 34 percent Republican and 20 percent independent, but their support depends on the candidate.
Perry pollster Mike Baselice’s figures are a bit different; he also noted they can change with individual races.
He said surveys he conducted this spring and summer show male voters identify 52 percent Republican to 34 percent Democratic, while the female split is 44 percent Democratic to 43 percent Republican.
For all the caterwauling I’ve done about minority voters, if women don’t push the button for the Democrats they’re doomed. I don’t believe that DMN poll any more now than I did before, but we’d better keep our eyes on this particular ball. Both parties are doing their usual stuff, but since the story line this year is Dream Team vs. Team Bush, it’s mostly been below radar.
UPDATE: To be clear, in the above paragraph I’m saying that the Democrats are doomed unless a majority of women vote for them. Sorry for any confusion.
I don’t want to put words in your mouth, but I read your comment about women being “doomed” unless they vote for Democrats as saying Republicans are anti-women. Why do you think that? I see women rising up the ranks in the Republican party in a big way (Rice and O’Conner are just the highest Republican women to date) and don’t understand your comment.
See update. I’m saying the Dems are doomed unless women go for them in a sizeable way. Sorry for the confusion.