How Do Public Beliefs About Gender on Various Dimensions Influence Female Candidate Policy Preferences in the Form of Their Stated Foreign Policy Agendas?

Previous research has examined the differences in voter preferences and media attention towards male and female presidential candidates. This research finds that gender stereotypes exist in the minds of voters and in how media presents political candidates and information. These public beliefs and media coverage are found to affect female presidential candidates’ campaigns in many ways. However, there is little research on how these beliefs affect the agendas of the candidates. Research has shown that many voters believe men are better able to handle military and defense matters. I use a variety of presidential campaigns, including Hillary Clinton, Carly Fiorina, Michelle Bachmann, Mary Ruwart, and Jill Stein, as case studies to analyze how these public beliefs influence female candidate policy preferences in the form of their foreign policy agenda. This research will continue through to include data from the 2016 presidential election