GOP Messaging Falls Short with Women and Independents, Activist Says

Republican candidates are missing opportunities with women and independent voters due to ineffective messaging, according to conservative activist Heather Higgins. Speaking on the podcast “Pod Force One,” Higgins, CEO of Independent Women’s Voice, suggested that the GOP should learn communication strategies from former Presidents Ronald Reagan and Donald Trump.

Higgins highlighted that women constitute a significant portion of the electorate, often voting at higher rates than men. However, she observed that Republican messaging frequently employs a heavy-handed approach, telling voters what to think rather than allowing them to reach their own conclusions. This style, she contended, alienates women who generally resist being dictated to.

This critique extends beyond women, as Higgins noted that men who identify as independents also do not respond well to being told what to think. She emphasized the need for a different communication approach that respects voters' autonomy.

Higgins' comments come amidst criticism of a recent ad by Republican Ohio gubernatorial candidate Vivek Ramaswamy, which featured his opponent Amy Acton's estranged mother. The ad, which drew widespread condemnation from both Democrats and Republicans, used personal family trauma as a political talking point. Acton’s brother accused Ramaswamy of exploiting the sexual abuse his sister allegedly endured.

While addressing Republican messaging, Higgins also suggested that the left has not effectively focused on women's issues either, attributing this in part to a difficulty in defining what a woman is, which may have fragmented their approach to specific issues. She described an “absence on both sides” regarding focus on women.

According to Higgins, women tend to engage with politics later, often when issues become urgent. She also stated that they are less receptive to fear-based messaging and instead respond better to appeals that focus on fairness, potential harms, and benefits to themselves, their families, and those they care about.

Higgins pointed to Donald Trump’s communication style, including his use of emotive language and expressions of affection, as an example of how to connect more effectively. She suggested that Trump, like Reagan, possessed a deeper understanding of empathy, storytelling, and narrative, which she felt was often missing in politicians who entered the field primarily through policy or business backgrounds. She clarified that this absence in communication style does not necessarily indicate a lack of care, but rather a difference in how emotions are expressed.