EMILY's List: 2005 Womens Monitor Survey Report Women at Cntr Pol Change

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Received by email.

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To: Democratic Women Leaders
Fm:Christy Agner, DNC Women's Vote Center
Re: EMILY's List: 2005 Womens Monitor Survey Report
Women at the Center of Political Change

We are informing you of a recent polling survey, conducted by Emily's List, the largest political action committee in the country. The Women's Monitor is an annual survey tool conducted by Emily's List to capture the mood of women voters. A synopsis of the findings are listed in the body of this email.

A full report, is available to the public at www.emilyslist.org .

Also available on the website is a powerpoint presentation with color slides that could be used in your upcoming Democratic group meeting.

We encourage to share this data widely with Democratic leaders in your community and your Democratic elected officials.

For further information about the Women's Monitor, please contact Ramona Oliver or Carrie Giddins in the communications department at Emily's List at 202-326-1400.

-DNC Women's Vote Center

National study shows erosion in Republican support from women and opportunities for Democrats.

EMILY's List asks more than 2000 women … What are your personal values? What are your political views? Where do the two meet?

A new EMILY's List Womens Monitor report - Women at the Center of Political Change - shows that Republicans have failed to hold the support among women that won them the White House in 2004. The national survey of more than 2000 women and 600 men also showed that Democrats need to proactively connect their message to the real personal values of women.

There is a clear message from the women we spoke to: never stand between a woman and her desire to protect and care for her family, said EMILY's List President Ellen R. Malcolm. Republicans will continue to lose women if they fail to respect that women see themselves-not government or politicians-as the arbiter of family values. From the intrusion of government into private family decisions, the risk created by efforts to privatize Social Security, and the my way or the highway foreign policy of the Bush administration -- the Republicans own agenda has worked to turn women away from that party.

In 2004, Republican President George W. Bush won reelection with 53 percent of the popular vote and an estimated 48% of the womens vote. Yet, a scant six months after he began his second term, Bushs ratings among women have fallen and the coalition of women who helped reelect him has pulled back from supporting the Republicans.

The gender gap is back, and its growing, said Karen M. White National Political Director for EMILY's List, One-third of all women who voted for George W. Bush are not planning to vote for a Republican congressional candidate. Democrats are winning the generic Congressional vote by a margin of 40 to 36 percent among all voters, but among women voters, 43 percent say they would vote for the Democratic candidate and only 32 percent would vote Republican.

Looking ahead to the mid-term elections, this erosion offers a tremendous opportunity for Democrats, said Malcolm. While women trust Democrats more on a wide array of issues, we want to caution that the Democrats have not closed the deal yet. Democrats must offer an agenda of change and hope framed in a way that recognizes womens focus on the family and their self-identified role as caregivers.

The study shows that the concept of family is at the center of womens values and they see themselves as the
primary caregivers in their family life. Theres been a lot of conversation about which is more important to women - values or economic concerns. Our data shows thats a false choice. For women, its not an either/or decision, said White. Democrats will not reach women by stressing economics alone.

The full report was released to the public and EMILY's List will be providing in-depth briefings for progressive organizations and Democratic elected officials across the country in the coming days. A full copy of the study along with an overview presentation is available on the EMILY's List website at www.emilyslist.org .

The EMILYs List Womens Monitor is a series of national research projects designed to identify key groups of women voters; determine which issues resonate with them; and track womens voting patterns and the gender gap in presidential and congressional elections - providing valuable insight and guidance for Democrats. EMILYs List shares Monitor findings with progressive allies, Democratic activists and leaders, and national and local reporters, to educate opinion leaders and journalists on the vital role women play in elections and to help focus turnout efforts on key targets.

Christy R. Agner
Democratic National Committee