ABSTRACT
Few researchers would question the evidence that party, issues, and candidate characteristics are the main influences on vote choice. And there is significant evidence gathered over time to establish the general primacy of party identification on the vote. Since the 1970s, the debate about issues has not been about whether they matter to vote choice but instead about which issues matter and how, primarily in presidential elections. The assumption that issues are relevant to vote choice when women candidates are running for election stems from the literature that examines the stereotypes people hold about women candidates. Stereotypes can be used by voters to form an overall assessment of a candidate's competence, and if voters consistently stereotype women candidates in a negative fashion, then they may use this assessment as the basis for a negative vote. In the analysis of Senate races, shared party exerts the biggest impact on voting for a woman, followed by the incumbency status of the woman.
