Bush Vies For Women Voters

In the days after Elizabeth Dole's withdrawal from the Republican presidential race, George W. Bush's support jumped 13 points among women who plan to vote in GOP primaries and caucuses. Among all women, a traditional source of Democratic strength, he has lost ground to Vice President Al Gore.

Some Democrats say Bush's strategy to attract women is a threat, even though they believe they have a better track record on women's issues.

"Republicans have a candidate who uniquely understands targeting the women's vote," said Celinda Lake, who specializes in the women's vote and informally advises the Gore campaign.

His campaign slogan of compassionate conservatism goes over well with suburban white women, also known as "soccer moms," Lake said. "He's careful on the choice [abortion] issue, aggressive on the education issue, he's careful with the diversity of his team."

Republican pollster Linda Divall, who worked with the Dole campaign, says both Dole and Bush fare well among women because "voters see a different type of Republican face ... not the dour, scolding, intolerant, hard-edged, rigid voice."

A CNN/USA Today/Gallup poll said Bush's support among Republican-leaning women, 55 percent before Dole dropped out Oct. 20, jumped to 68 percent after her departure. Bush's overall support increased by 6 percentage points, even though his support among men likely to vote in the Republican race -- now 67 percent -- remained about the same.

Pitted against Gore, the two candidates were in a virtual tie among women. Previously, Bush had a slight lead. Then -- and now -- the Texas governor's lead over Bill Bradley, the other Democratic hopeful, was 13 points among women.

In the last two presidential elections, Bill Clinton fared well with women voters, leading by 8 percentage points in 1992 and twice that margin in 1996.

The Democratic nominee will need a big advantage among women if Bush retains his current lead of almost 20 percentage points among men. Now that Dole is gone, no other GOP candidate has shown a particularly strong appeal with women so far.

Longtime Democrat Krista O'Connor of Williamsport, Pa., said the Clinton-Gore administration "compromised the institution of the presidency" with the impeachment scandal. She liked Bush's message about education, personal responsibility and strong families, and that he didn't seem as harshly conservative as House Republicans.

One of the crucial jobs for Democrats in the 2000 presidential election is to make certain that Ms. O'Connor's change of heart is more the exception than the rule.

Andrew Kohut, director of the Pew Research Center for the People & the Press, said, "It's pretty evident that women haven't responded in the positive way to Gore that they've responded to his boss."

Democrats say the key to countering Bush is to make sure women are aware of his support for a cncealed weapons law, private accounts for Social Security, school vouchers, and his opposition on abortion -- an issue he talks around.

The trick for the GOP, said Bush pollster Fred Steeper, is to keep its strong appeal for men while attracting more women.

GOP recruiters say the Bush campaign, with its emphasis on education, compassion and inclusion has been a far easier sell to women this year than in many past elections.

"It's like night and day," said Lezlee Westine, general counsel for Technet, a political organization representing executives. "George W. Bush cares about the issues important to women. He shows that he understands their lives and has an inclusive message."

But Rep. Carolyn Maloney, a New York Democrat who is co-chair of the House women's caucus, said Democrats have a big advantage in appointments of women to key positions and on issues like reproductive freedom, support of public schools and gun control.

Bush has proven his ability to draw women voters, getting 49 percent in his first gubernatorial race -- against a woman, incumbent Democratic Gov. Ann Richards, and more than 60 percent when he ran for re-election in 1998.

His spokeswoman, Mindy Tucker, said his leadership style is "not strident, he unifies, he works across partisan lines to accomplish results."

Texas Democratic Chairwoman Molly Beth Malcolm, a former Republican, counters: "I believe that American women are smarter than buying into a pretty gift-wrapped package with nothing inside."