(NewsNation) — Most Americans polled by Pew Research Center don’t think a female president would do better or worse than a man, yet they still see differences in the way both are treated by the media.
Half or more asked by Pew said a president’s gender doesn’t matter when it comes to how they handle various policy areas or when it comes to several leadership traits.
Pew based its analysis on two surveys: one of 5,057 adults conducted from July 17-23 and one taken from July 31 through Aug. 6 of 11,201 adults.
Most of them, 64%, said the president’s gender doesn’t matter to them, although these views varied by different political parties.
Democrats, according to Pew, were more likely to say a female president would do better. About a third, or 31% of Democrat and Democratic-leaning voters, said it is “extremely or very important” for them that the U.S. elects a woman as president in their lifetimes.
Only 5% of Republican and Republican-leaning voters did.
Overall, a “relatively small share of U.S. adults” said it is extremely important to them that a female president be elected in their lifetimes.
About half think it’s somewhat likely this will happen, though, while 26% say it’s not too, or not at all, likely.
However, most agreed on the idea that there are obstacles women face when running for office. About 62% of Americans say the media focuses too much on women’s physical appearance, compared to 35% who said the same about men. Another 62% said there’s insufficient focus on women’s views of key policy issues.
Showing emotions was seen as damaging to women: 58% said it hurts a woman’s chance of getting elected.