Hillary’s artillery can shape 2016

For me it was one of the hardest things to watch.

I could see the raw emotion. The desire and effort. It wasn’t leading to this moment, but this is where she was.

{mosads}Hillary Clinton’s journey in 2008 ended with her capitulation to Barack Obama, and you could see the agony on the faces of the women supporting her.

They had backed her financially and on the ground, they believed in what she was doing. Mrs. Clinton, as we then knew her, was living out their dreams.

When she announced she was going to be stepping down from the nomination, in Washington, there were tears and dashed dreams. Not by Clinton herself, at least not publicly, but by her base.

The women Hillary was supported by were the mothers and grandmothers of America. They were like her. Given a good run at education, they invariably married young and then entered the workforce. Sure, life hadn’t always been easy but it hadn’t been too bad.

They are, and always will be, Hillary’s artillery.

Female voters can be some of the most influential in the electoral cycle. Their influence extends well beyond themselves but guides husbands and partners, children, friends of their children and the community groups they are involved in.

Last year I undertook research into the role and impact of the gender of candidates and how that resonated with voters. While women were innately supportive of females going for higher office they also focused more on policy for the broad social good.

Further research from the University of Wisconsin Milwaukee on gender stereotypes in elections shows that female candidates tend to be limited by tradition. For standard female candidates they found “unsettling examples” of pigeonholing; but Hillary transcends this.

Voters don’t want to see someone ignore their femininity, but they don’t want it to be their central platform. Female candidates are so much more than women, but ignoring that experience dismisses the struggles of what it means to be a woman in America.

As we all know, Hillary rejected the mantle of womanhood in 2008. She wanted to be judged on her “merits”, a vexed concept at the best of times. She ignored the sexist attacks until they became too overwhelming.

In the fast-forward to 2016, we see a candidate who is accomplished, dignified and embraces her femininity. Acknowledging that hers will be a success for her and for these women, Hillary has risen to the challenge rather than being daunted by it.

Like these women backing her, she has a lot to talk about. She has had many experiences and can bring a lot to the table – as a woman, a person and a professional.

Hillary’s artillery is supporting her, big time. They are the mothers and grandmothers in small town America, in the suburbs, on main street who are donating what they can – time, money, bumper sticker space – when they can.

Female voters have traditionally voted along social inclusion policies, recognizing the need for harmony in our communities. That has not necessarily meant Democrat, but in this cycle it is going that way.

This is not to say that Hillary will win the votes of conservative women, that is a high ask, but what she can do is show both parties how important women are in elections.

Conventional wisdom credits Barack Obama’s electoral success with the black vote, George W Bush engaged us as a protector, Bill Clinton was a plain-speaking baby boomer, while Ronald Reagan and George HW Bush tapped into a hungry and aspirational America. Hillary has women.

Demographics and our society play an integral role in elections, whether we like it or not.

And this election is focusing around gender.

When Meryl Streep introduced Hillary Clinton at a conference she, facetiously, compared herself to the then-Secretary of State. Rightly, she noted that every American woman a certain age has looked to Hillary as that stable friend we can all rely on.

For almost 40 years, Hillary has been there.

And her artillery has been slowly, but surely, lining up behind her.

Liveris is an advocate, adviser and researcher on the politics and economics of diversity.