From Hillary to Michelle: Public Opinion and the Spouses of Presidential Candidates

Abstract

This paper analyzes public opinion data on would-be first ladies during the presidential campaign season from 1992-2008. By comparing attitudes towards would-be first ladies over the last five presidential cycles we are able to identify key areas of stability and change in Americans’ attitudes toward these individuals. Additionally, we use the survey data to explore how attitudes about these women differ across key demographics including, sex, partisanship, and age, and to identify the key factors shaping the public’s attitudes concerning presidential candidates’ wives. The results indicate that spouses who embody the traditional role of first lady tend to be more popular while spouses such as Hillary Clinton who assume an active role in advocating policy garner less support. Further, most of the candidates’ spouses generate highly polarized reactions along partisan lines although more traditional spouses evoke a less divisive response.