(MENAFN) Americans remain hesitant about electing a female president, a new nationwide survey on voter attitudes toward women in politics has found. Confidence that the country is ready for a woman in the Oval Office has steadily declined over the past decade, a trend underscored by the recent election defeat of Vice President Kamala Harris.

Harris’ 2024 loss to Donald Trump followed Hillary Clinton’s unsuccessful 2016 campaign, when she won the popular vote but lost key swing states. The two defeats have reignited debate over gender and electability in US politics.

The report, titled “She Leads: Progress and Persistent Barriers for Women in Politics,” revealed enduring resistance to the idea of a female president despite broad support for women’s participation in public life.

One in five respondents said they or someone close to them would not vote for a woman for the nation’s highest office. The reluctance was strongest among younger voters, with 25% of women and 20% of men under 50 saying they would not support a qualified female candidate. In comparison, only 13% of voters over 50 shared that view.

While respondents said they trust women more on social issues, men were seen as better suited for national security and foreign policy.

The so-called “Harris Effect” remains divisive, with voters split on whether the former vice president’s campaign made it easier or harder for a woman to reach the White House. Republicans and independents were more likely to say it made the path more difficult, the survey found.

Commissioned by American University’s Women and Politics Institute, the poll was conducted in September 2025 by the Benenson Strategy Group. It surveyed 801 registered voters and had a margin of error of 3.5 percentage points.

Earlier polling showed higher levels of optimism. A YouGov survey for The Times in July 2024 found that 54% of Americans believed the country was ready for a female president — down from 63% in 2015.

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