The latest Washington Post–ABC News election poll has Hillary Clinton winning among college-educated white women, with a 27-point lead compared to Donald Trump. While Clinton is ahead by only a few points among all voters nationally, this gender gap lead is important because traditionally white women voters have been particularly likely to show up at the polls.
According to The Washington Post, one in five voters in 2012 were college-educated white women. This gender gap, then, could potentially have a large role in getting Hillary elected. Since 1980, women have been more likely to prefer Democratic candidates, by an average of eight points.
Donald Trump has a better chance with white women without college degrees, who favor him by 28 points. However, accusations of sexual assault and the controversy over sexist comments Trump made in 2005 have caused many women to be turned off by the Republican candidate.
A Pew Research poll reported that the majority of voters say Trump has little or no respect for women. This compares to 76 percent of voters who say Clinton has a great deal or fair amount of respect for women. Clinton has used gender as a key point in her election, focusing on women throughout the debates and the significance of the first female presidency.
Although it is still unknown whether or not these women will make it to the polls on Tuesday, their voting significance cannot be overlooked.