Women's support proves key in battlegrounds

[blonndee]

Women's support proves key in battlegrounds
Female voters heavily favor Obama, helping propel historic victory

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In Pennsylvania, another crucial state where McCain had pinned his hopes, 60 percent of women opted for Obama, compared with 54 percent who went for Kerry in 2004. In New Hampshire, exit polls suggested that 63 percent of women supported Obama, compared with 54 percent who supported Kerry four years ago.

Women voters typically are crucial to a Democratic presidential victory, and Obama was pulling 55 percent of their votes, compared with 43 percent for McCain, according to exit polls. Obama and McCain were nearly even among male voters, who split 49-49 percent.

Although Gockowski voted twice for President Bush, she said a single crucial decision diverted her from McCain.

"I do like Barack Obama, but Sarah Palin was the nail in the coffin," she said. "I objected to (McCain's) judgment and to the idea that, 'Here, we'll give another female to the women of American because they might be dumb enough to vote for a female because of her sex.'"

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Women voters outnumbered men nationally by about 53-47 percent, according to exit polls. Women make up not only more of the general population, but also more of adult voters, historic census figures show.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/27524699/