There is little question that the 2016 US presidential election was highly contentious and polarizing. When all was said and done, Donald Trump had not only won the Electoral College, but enjoyed 88 percent of Republican women's votes and 52 percent of white women's vote, continuing a trend found in previous presidential elections. With Democrats selecting Hillary Clinton as the first woman major-party presidential nominee, and Republicans nominating Donald Trump with his history of sexist attitudes and behaviors, the question arises as to how Republican women navigated the gendered terrain that the campaign presented. Were they drawn toward Clinton because she was a woman or did they hold party affiliation dear? Alternatively, despite party affiliation did they push away from Trump because of his past, and feel a tug toward a woman candidate?

Through the lens of feminist standpoint theory, this chapter investigates how women of the GOP experienced each candidate, and how the media, candidates, and party each helped to formulate their opinions. We hope to contribute to a better understanding of the dynamics of Trump's victory over Clinton by seeking out and giving voice to the perspectives of Republican women in this election.

Researchers have discussed the discrimination women politicians encounter in the male-dominated political field, especially focusing on Hillary Clinton. In 2008 Clinton was reported in a more negative way than other candidates, labeling her a nontraditional woman obsessed with political power and thereby stepping out of an acceptable role. Much less is known, however, about how Republican women specifically view Clinton as a woman and as a politician, or what they made of the Republican nominee, Donald Trump.

Gender-Related Theories

Due to traditional gender expectations, women in leadership roles tend to be negatively evaluated compared to men in the same positions. For example, whereas women are associated with friendliness, men are thought to be independent. Role congruity theory, an extension of social role theory, explains how these expectations become problematic. If a woman in high power behaves in an agentic way, which violates a traditional role, people tend to discredit her. Such negative evaluations are aggravated when women exhibit agentic leadership styles in masculine-dominated fields such as politics or military.