Hillary Clinton\u27s Race: Did She Match the Presidential Prototype?

Abstract

The present research addresses how voters\u27 perceptions of Hillary Clinton\u27s warmth and competence influenced decisions to vote for her in the 2008 Democratic primary. We apply research on gender stereotypes and perceptions of women leaders to demonstrate that voters perceived Clinton as highly competent but relatively less warm. Further, this research examines how perceptions of Clinton\u27s warmth and competence contributed to decisions to vote for her. Results suggest that perceptions of Clinton\u27s warmth and competence differentially predicted voting behavior for voters strongly and less strongly identified with their political party. This research provides a descriptive analysis of how voters\u27 beliefs about leaders can be colored by gender, and how such beliefs contribute to electing women candidates