Why Kamala Harris is downplaying her gender

Kamala Harris could well be the first woman president, but she's not making a big deal about it. Instead, "she's letting that fact speak for itself," said Politico. That marks a shift from Hillary Clinton's 2016 campaign, which emphasized the history-making nature of her presidential bid — and which Clinton lost to Donald Trump. Harris, who is also facing Trump, is betting that voters are ready to vote for a woman "but care far more about her record and platform." 

Harris is "avoiding the sexist traps that snared Hillary Clinton," Susan Milligan said at The New Republic. The electorate has grown more used to women in power over the last decade — there are twice as many female governors now — but "much of it is the candidate herself." Harris has managed to demonstrate authority "without appearing too aggressive." That's a tricky balancing act for female candidates. "You have to show strength," Michigan Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson said, "and you also have to show compassion, empathy, and kindness."

'Breaking barriers and glass ceilings'

"Voters are looking for electability, not representation," Pamela Paul said at The New York Times. A Pew survey showed that nearly two-thirds of voters — including 57% of women — say electing a female president in their lifetime was "not important or didn't matter." Sexism often is blamed for Clinton's 2016 loss to Donald Trump, but Clinton was a "flawed candidate who ran a terrible campaign." It's best to "stop all the talk of breaking barriers and glass ceilings."

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Harris is running an "anti-Hillary plan" to become president, Patricia Murphy said at the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. Her stump speech focuses less on barrier-breaking and more on her resume as a prosecutor, senator and vice president. People who might be inclined to vote against a woman "don't have to be reminded what they're getting if they pick her anyway." It's not like Harris has to work to highlight her gender: "The images say it for her."

Challenges and benefits

Gender will factor into voter judgments no matter what Harris does. "Women have to do more than men to prove they are qualified and are held to a higher standard of likability," pollsters Celinda Lake and Christine Matthews said at USA Today. Research from focus groups also suggests female candidates have to do more to highlight their qualifications and plans to voters. "A majority say America is ready for a woman president." What voters need to see from a female candidate, then, is "her leadership abilities."

The gender of voters may matter more. Harris' surge in the polls is "driven heavily by women and younger voters," said The Washington Post. Indeed, the political divide between men and women — the former tend to vote Republican, the latter Democrat — is an "increasingly stark partisan divider," said Axios. Harris may not be highlighting her gender, but "that doesn't mean the topic is not deeply infused in this race." 

Other Democrats — like vice presidential nominee Tim Walz — will do the highlighting for Harris. She's got at least one notable fan rooting for her. "Together, we've put a lot of cracks in the highest, hardest glass ceiling," Hillary Clinton told the Democratic National Convention on Monday. "And tonight so close to breaking through once and for all."