Nikki Haley’s run for the Republican presidential nomination highlights the delicate balancing act women in politics must perform, particularly conservative women seeking the top political office in the US.
Haley, the first woman to be elected governor of South Carolina and a former US representative to the United Nations, made a reference to this in her campaign launch video, stating that she doesn’t tolerate bullies and that it hurts them more when you “kick back in heels.”
Politicians are often under pressure to demonstrate toughness and femininity simultaneously to compete with their male rivals.
As Kelly Dittmar, director of research at Rutgers University’s Center for American Women and Politics, explains, Republican women in politics face a unique challenge due to voters’ traditionally conservative views of gender roles, which encourages them to show both strength and femininity.
The announcement speech Haley gave in Charleston, South Carolina, demonstrated this balancing act. Supporters described her as a leader with “an iron fist in a velvet glove,” and Haley urged voters to elect “a woman as tough as nails.”
Women in politics also face additional obstacles, such as online abuse and the pressure to be “likable,” which is not expected of men in politics.
This is evident in the sexist attacks that Nikki Haley, who is the daughter of Indian immigrants and the first Indian-American governor of South Carolina, has faced throughout her political career.
Despite these challenges, more Republican women are running for office and winning elections. Olivia Perez-Cubas, a spokeswoman for Winning For Women, which was formed to help elect more GOP women, said that having more women as candidates and in office will help Republicans attract female voters, who have traditionally supported Democrats in recent presidential elections.
However, the bar for women in politics is always higher, as evidenced by the sexist comparisons between the two female candidates running for governor in Michigan in 2022. Nevertheless, women like Tudor Dixon, the first GOP nominee for governor in Michigan, and Evelyn Sanguinetti, the first Latina lieutenant governor of Illinois, are hopeful that having more women in politics will inspire young women to follow in their footsteps.
In her announcement speech, Haley distanced herself from identity politics but acknowledged the historic nature of her candidacy as a woman of Indian descent. She ended her speech with a message to her rivals, “May the best woman win.”
Nikki Haley’s candidacy highlights the challenges and obstacles women in politics face, particularly conservative women seeking the top political office in the US.
Despite the hurdles, women like Haley, Tudor Dixon, and Evelyn Sanguinetti are inspiring young women to pursue careers in politics and break through the glass ceiling.
The path ahead may be difficult, but as Haley said, “May the best woman win.” As more women enter politics and bring diversity to the political arena, the challenges and obstacles will gradually be overcome, and women will have equal opportunities to succeed in politics.
