Are "Shy Harris Voters" A Thing?

We'll know soon enough

A quick good morning from Gastonia, North Carolina, where Trump campaigned over the weekend.

Trump supporters are coming to rallies with homemade signs labelling themselves as "garbage" - a response to recent controversy around President Biden's recent remarks, which were in turn a response to comments by a comedian at Trump's Madison Square Garden rally regarding Puerto Rico.

In my last feature story before the 2024 election, I examine a push by allies of Vice President Kamala Harris to remind women - especially moderate, usually white, suburban women - that their vote is a secret, and they don’t have to tell anyone (including their husbands) if they’re voting for her.

I’ve been hearing this message for a few weeks from organizers and activists who are working on outreach to Republican voters on Harris’ behalf. My colleague Danielle Kurtzleben has written about the the significant gender divide in the electorate - the reality that a lot more men are supporting Trump, and more women are supporting Harris.

On the ground, that means some households are divided - with couples and families split between Harris and Trump.

I’d heard about this phenomenon anecdotally, and recently I was able to speak to three women in this situation.

I also spoke with pollsters who believe at least some women are keeping their voting plans a secret even from those closest to them. Is it enough to influence the outcome of the election? We’ll have a better idea of that soon enough.