POLL: Males-Females are Split on Issues that could Shape Midterm Elections

Men and women are far apart in their views of the economy and economic opportunity, differences that help explain a gap in their outlook on politics that is shaping the midterm elections.

This week's Wall Street Journal/NBC News poll found that women are more in sync with Democrats on a range of economic issues, including minimum wages and concerns about growing income inequality. With Republicans holding substantial advantages this year, the Democrats' appeal among women could provide a bulwark against a political drubbing.

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As members of the party that doesn't hold the White House, Republicans might ordinarily stand to gain most from the broad pessimism in the new poll that the nation is on the wrong track. But the poll found that women would prefer this fall's elections to produce a Democratic-controlled Congress, by a 51% to 37% margin—a 14-point gap. The reverse is true for men, who preferred a Republican Congress by 52% to 35%—a 17-point lead for the GOP.

"We are arguably headed to the largest gender difference people have seen in an off-year election," said Republican pollster Bill McInturff, who conducted the survey with Democratic pollster Fred Yang.

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The success of Republican efforts to build support among white and suburban women voters could be the difference between a "really good cycle and a huge cycle" for the party this November, Mr. McInturff said.

Democrats in the Senate, meanwhile, have been trying to expand their advantage among female voters by advancing economic legislation that women tend to favor, such as a minimum-wage increase and equal-pay protections. They have nominated women in the two Senate races—in Kentucky and Georgia—where they have the best hope of picking up a GOP seat.

The battle for women's votes has been front and center in Kentucky, where Democrat Alison Lundergan Grimes has hammered Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R., Ky.) with charges of being hostile to women's interests. In a blunt response, Mr. McConnell this week began airing a television ad featuring his wife, former Labor Secretary Elaine Chao, defending his record.

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Come on Ladies .. You gave us OBAMA PART II let's not have an oncor by screwing up our chances of taking back the Senate.

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