Dem pollster says women candidates are better at connecting with voters on personal level

Democratic pollster Silas Lee said in an interview that aired Thursday on “What America’s Thinking” that women candidates are often skilled at connecting with voters on a personal level by sharing their own experiences. 

“Women are able to bring a level of personal experience to the political arena and transform that into a political and social narrative,” Lee, a professor at Xavier University of Louisiana, told Hill.TV’s Joe Concha on “What America’s Thinking.” 

Lee used Rep.-elect Lucy McBath (D-Ga.) as a candidate who was able to use a personal experience to appeal to voters during the midterm campaign. 

“She’s a two-time breast cancer survivor, her son was murdered, and she was able to win in a district that was not majority minority,” Lee said. 

McBath defeated outgoing-Rep. Karen Handel (R-Ga.) in the state’s 6th Congressional District in last week’s midterms. 

Handel had defeated Democrat Jon Ossof in the district’s in a special election last year after former Health and Human Services Secretary Tom Price vacated the seat. 

McBath’s son was killed as a result of gun violence in 2012, and she since has advocated for gun control. 

“So that’s the interesting thing about women candidates. They’re able to articulate experiences that resonate with voters and create a level of bond and authenticity with voters that many men may not be able to establish,” Lee said. 

— Julia Manchester