Women Power in Texas

When Geraldine Ferraro ran for vice president in 1984, the “women’s vote” was billed as the sleeping giant that would awaken and save the Democratic Party. But the women’s vote that year turned out to be a nonhappening. It was a different story for state treasurer Ann Richards of Texas this week. “Woman power,” if you will, is considered a decisive factor in her Democratic gubernatorial primary victory--even after a bruising campaign that could serve as the model for how low politics can sink.

While there continues to be difficulty harnessing the women’s vote in a national U.S. election, gubernatorial campaigns are proving time and again to be susceptible to the politics of gender. Specifically, women voters respond strongly to issues that cross ideological lines, such as the right to choose whether to have a child and personal safety issues like crime. In Texas, Richards clearly hopes to capitalize on her advocacy of the right to choose an abortion. She now faces a tough fight in the general election against millionaire opponent Clayton Williams Jr. But surely he’ll gain no points with women for a stupid remark--for which he later apologized--that compared bad weather to rape: “If it’s inevitable, just relax and enjoy it.”

Of course, that raises the question of how will the gender mix play in California? Will former San Francisco Mayor Dianne Feinstein, billed in commercials as “tough and caring,” be able to hold onto her 2-to-1 poll lead with women? Especially when her Democratic primary opponent, Atty. Gen. John Van de Kamp, has a record on women’s issues that is probably more conventionally in line than Feinstein’s with the thinking of most feminists and Democratic Party activists? We wouldn’t venture to guess. But the increasing opportunities for female and male candidates to face off are certain to make for more races where a few more male and female stereotypes can be shattered.

In the meantime, there’s a broader stereotype--this one about politicians--that the Texas primary did not shatter. The primary between Richards and Atty. Gen. Jim Mattox illustrated, in almost cartoon strokes, that men and women are equally capable of stooping to conquer. Mattox started it, insinuating without any proof that Richards, a recovering alcoholic, was also once a cocaine addict. She shot back by pointing out that Mattox had been indicted on bribery charges, without mentioning his acquittal. Then it got even dirtier. As California politicians watched the Texas campaign, we can only hope that they exorcised whatever mudslinging impulses they may have.