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The Demographic That Trump Is Losing Grip Of

by Cate Carrejo

Donald Trump is the longstanding GOP primary frontrunner, but polling data is beginning to show a critical gender divide — women aren't supporting Trump to the same extent that the male counterparts do. A new Quinnipiac University poll released Tuesday shows that 30 percent of men support Trump to only 27 percent of women, and a Fox News poll shows that Trump was polling at 46 percent among men, but only 30 percent among women. Given the overtly misogynistic tone that Trump's campaign has taken over the last six months, it isn't hugely surprising that his support among women is falling short.

Trump has been openly chauvinistic throughout his campaign, and frankly long before that as well. From his most recent comment at a campaign rally about Hillary Clinton's "disgusting" trip to the bathroom during the Democratic debate (because apparently he's never noticed that women also use the restroom until now), to the literally dozens of sexist comments that he has made throughout his career, he has been building up the chauvinistic rhetoric and attitude relatively unchecked for decades. Only now that he has a bigger stage and a bigger audience are his horrifying comments drawing national attention and changing public perception.

Trump's comments have also revealed a deeper misogyny in the GOP race. While other Republican candidates have harshly criticized Trump for his xenophobic beliefs and policy proposals, no candidate has offered the same denouncement of his repeated sexist behavior. Even Carly Fiorina, who was the subject of derogatory remarks by Trump in an interview with Rolling Stone, opted for a subtle response rather than a direct call-out of Trump's misogynistic attitude.

The unwillingness to stand up to Trump's ardent sexism shows both how undervalued the female demographic is in the GOP and the difficulty in taking on the combative Trump. Ultimately, Trump's aggressive misogyny is reinforcing the conception of the Republican party as backwards and disconnected to the American people.

Trump said in an August interview with CNN that he would "be the best thing that ever happened to women," but it seems that some women aren't buying it. The first primary is less than two months away, and if the gender gap from these recent polls sticks around, Trump could have a difficult time gaining the necessary support to successfully secure the nomination (shudder).