Perspectives on Gender Stereotypes: Why Did Hillary Clinton Lose the 2016 Election?

Research on gender stereotypes has largely emphasized that women candidates are evaluated differently than their male counterparts. In this research paper, I argue that Clinton’s defeat in the 2016 election was a result of such differential evaluation. I develop my expectations based on the fact that there are differences between feminine stereotypes and masculine stereotypes, and that voters’ perceptions of the latter match the longstanding popular expectations for political leaders, in a way that advantages men as candidates, while disadvantaging women. I also expect that “gender affinity effect” was present in this election, with Democratic women being more likely to vote for Clinton. I rely on data from the 2016 ANES survey to evaluate the role of gender affinity effect and gender stereotypes in affecting Clinton’s electability. The results show that masculine personality traits had the largest effect and were more fundamental for winning the White House. They also show significant evidence of a gender affinity effect among Democratic women in terms of their feelings toward Clinton, but no evidence in terms of voting for her. These results offer new insights about voters’ gender stereotypic perceptions of Clinton, and their consequences for the electoral fortunes of women candidates, in general.