A new national poll reveals that the partisan divide over America's 250th anniversary celebrations is matched by a striking gender gap, particularly among Republicans. The survey, conducted by Bowling Green State University in partnership with YouGov, shows that women—especially Republican women—are less interested in the semiquincentennial and hold distinct views on what the festivities should emphasize.
Interest and Participation Lag Among Women
Overall, interest in the 250th anniversary is 10 points lower among women than men—60 percent versus 70 percent. Women are also significantly less likely to say they will participate in any event marking the occasion: 45 percent versus 54 percent. This gap persists within both parties, with women in each party less likely than men to report plans to attend a celebration.
Founding Fathers vs. Unity
When asked to choose up to two priorities for the celebrations, nearly twice as many men as women selected commemorating the nation's founders: 26 percent versus 14 percent. In contrast, nearly half of women—48 percent—chose bringing Americans together across differences as a primary focus, compared with 37 percent of men. The gender gap on this question is stark among Republicans: 52 percent of Republican women favor a unity focus, versus just 33 percent of Republican men—a 19-point difference. Among Democrats, the gender gap is negligible.
Celebratory Tone Divides Republican Women and Men
The poll also asked whether the events should be “mostly celebratory.” Sixty percent of Republican men strongly agreed, compared with just under half of Republican women. Democratic men and women showed no such split. Skepticism among Republican women extended to the enduring relevance of the nation's founding principles: fewer than half—46 percent—strongly agreed that “America's founding principles still provide a strong foundation for solving today's challenges,” versus 59 percent of Republican men. Democratic women and men were statistically indistinguishable on this question.
One Exception: Views on Core Declaration Values
On one key item, the overall gender gap vanished among Republicans but not Democrats. Asked whether the principles of fairness, justice, and equality in the Declaration of Independence remain true today, 42 percent of women disagreed, versus 32 percent of men—a 10-point gap. Among Democrats, the gap was eight points, while Republican men and women were statistically indistinguishable.
Political Implications
The findings come as the Trump administration's Great American State Fair kicks off on the National Mall, with at least 10 Democratic-led states refusing to participate. An Oregon spokesman called it “a more partisan affair than originally presented.” The gender gap among Republicans, however, suggests that disengagement may be broader than partisanship alone. As tight House and Senate races loom this fall, low turnout among Republican women could prove decisive.
The White House's own 250th kickoff—an Ultimate Fighting Championship event on the South Lawn—drew criticism from three-quarters of Democrats but only a quarter of Republicans. Notably, no women competed on the card, and few were visible in the audience.
Melissa K. Miller, a political science professor at Bowling Green State University who conducted the poll, notes that the gender gap among Republicans is “dramatic” on several questions. “The Republican gender gap over America's historic anniversary remains noteworthy,” she said. “Democrats might want to take note.”
For more on how the 250th is shaping political identity, read Muslim Americans: Patriotic, Divided, and Reshaping Their Political Identity. Meanwhile, the Great American State Fair drew thin crowds amid scorching heat.
