Political Outlook: The Republican Assault on Women's Rights

Political Outlook: The Republican Assault on Women's Rights

With the “Republican War on Women” ranging from Rush Limbaugh’s attacks on a female law student, to congressional Republican’s holding an all-male contraception hearing, it’s becoming increasingly clear that the Party’s agenda is out-of-step on women’s rights with voters in Rhode Island and nationwide.

Even Rep. Pete Sessions (R-TX) – who recently threw a high-profile fundraiser for Republican CD-1 candidate Brendan Doherty in the Ocean State – when asked a question from Reuters surrounding whether Republican’s would continue to aggressively attack women’s health care issues this year, asserted: “We're not hesitant to do anything.”

That said, as the Republican presidential primary makes its way to Rhode Island – and the high profile CD-1 race continues to heat up – it’s critical for pols to take note of the heinous, and increasingly anti-women’s rights platform that candidates on the right are taking in 2014.

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Polls: “Republican War on Women” Out-of-Step with Electorate

During presidential elections, women have voted in higher numbers than men and have done so since 1964, according to Rutgers’ Center for American Women and Politics (CAWP). In fact, nearly 10 million more women than men voted in 2008.

That said, public polling – both in-state and national – have found that Republicans are on the wrong side politically on women’s rights issues.

A recent Brown University survey found that nearly two-thirds (65.7 percent) of female voters in the Ocean State support President Obama’s contraception policy, which makes certain that health insurers offer contraception to women if religious institutions decide not to do so.

Nationally, overwhelmingly voters believe that Democrats are more in-touch with women’s issues when compared to Republicans, according to a recent Washington Post/ABC News poll. By a 25 point margin, voters said that they believe Democrats are the political party that cares more about issues that are especially important to women. And, more than three-out-of-five (61 percent) voters believe health insurance companies should be required to cover the full cost of birth control for women.

On the contraception issue, not only are Republicans losing to Democrats within the electorate at-large, but also amongst those who are affiliated religiously as Evangelical or Catholic.

Catholics and Evangelicals Side with Democrats on Contraception Issue

A majority of Catholics and Protestant Evangelicals support President Obama’s contraception requirement, according to a recent Kaiser Family Foundation survey.

Sixty percent of Catholic respondents support the new federal contraception requirement, and 57 percent of Protestant Evangelicals do too. Furthermore, 85 percent of females affiliated with the Democratic Party – and 67 percent of females who affiliate as Independents – support Democrats on this issue.

Therefore, the Republican assertion that this issue is about religious freedom has fallen flat. Instead, Democrats have successfully framed this issue as one of women’s rights, and it has resonated with a broad swath of the electorate.

The “Republican War on Women” is proving as a bust for their Party, and serves as further proof that Democrats are best suited to move our country towards a stronger future.

Brett Broesder is the former Policy and Legislative Director for the Rhode Island Office of Attorney General. He also served as the campaign manager for Peter F. Kilmartin’s successful campaign for Attorney General in 2010, and is currently a public relations and political consultant based in New York, NY. He can be reached at [email protected].