WASHINGTON — A gender gap is growing in the Democratic presidential race, and Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton aims to widen it into a chasm.
Armed with mounting evidence that women are providing her a strong foundation in the crucial early months of the run-up to next year's primaries, Clinton's campaign is trying to organize almost every aspect of the Democratic women's voting bloc -- including lining up the support of feminist elites and stoking excitement in teenage political neophytes.
When the New York senator speaks to audiences crowded with women, she unabashedly depicts her candidacy as a historic opportunity to elect the first female president.
War vote: An article in Saturday's Section A on Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton's support among women said it had been six years since she voted to authorize congressional backing for the war in Iraq. As the story noted elsewhere, the vote was five years ago, in 2002.
"Now is the time to break the biggest glass ceiling in the land," a beaming Clinton said last week after her endorsement by the National Organization for Women's political action committee, one of several influential women's activist groups that have rushed to endorse her campaign.
In contrast to the broader electorate, where, in 2006, women accounted for 51% of votes cast, women represent as much as 60% of registered voters in early Democratic primary and caucus states. And early surveys show Clinton ahead of her male rivals among women in every early primary and caucus state.
Nationally, a Zogby survey in late March found that Clinton outstripped her competitors, leading with 42% of likely primary voters among Democratic women, compared with 19% for Sen. Barack Obama (D-Ill.) and 15% for former North Carolina Sen. John Edwards. Clinton held a much thinner lead among male Democratic voters. At 28%, she barely edged Obama, who was at 26%, with Edwards trailing at 11%.
"We've really seen a constituency form around her," said Mark Penn, Clinton's chief strategist and pollster. "One of the things people don't realize is she has a solid base -- among women -- that's harder and much more enthusiastic than anyone else has."
She shows strength among independent women as well. A Gallup survey released Monday showed that nationally, 59% of female independent voters have a favorable image of Clinton -- compared with 45% of male independents.
Even Republican women view her slightly more favorably than do Republican men, though she ranks low with both groups, the poll found.
