No need to tell your husband: Kamala Harris banks on female votes | WATCH

Washington: In a recent advertisement for Kamala Harris, a woman is seen marking her ballot for the Democratic candidate while her husband mistakenly believes she is voting for Republican Donald Trump: "What happens in the booth, stays in the booth" a voiceover says.

 The 30-second clip, narrated by actress Julia Roberts, features the couple arriving at a polling station wearing baseball caps with the American flag—often associated with Trump supporters.

Reactions from Trump supporters

The ad, funded by a religious nonprofit, has sparked anger among Trump supporters, with the former president calling it "stupid" and asking "Can you imagine a wife not telling her husband who she's voting for?"

In the video, the wife shares knowing looks with another female voter before casting her vote for Harris. "You can vote any way you want, and no one will ever know," the voiceover says, before the husband asks "Did you make the right choice?" "Sure did, honey," the woman replies.

A host on conservative Fox News suggested that if his wife secretly voted for Harris, it would be "the same thing as having an affair." Former Republican House Speaker Newt Gingrich criticised the ad as a sign of "corruption" within Harris’s campaign.

The anti-Trump group The Lincoln Project also aired a similar ad showing two upper-middle-class men who confidently claim their wives are voting for Trump. However, the women, along with other female voters, fill in their ballots for Harris.

Expanding the appeal

Harris's campaign is not just focused on women voters. The group behind the Julia Roberts-narrated ad, Vote Common Good, has released another ad featuring male voters who cast their ballots for Harris without revealing their choices to their Trump-supporting friends. The ad is narrated by George Clooney.

Key factors in the Presidential race

These ads highlight two important aspects of the current U.S. presidential campaign. First, both Trump and Harris are fiercely competing for every single vote in what is shaping up to be one of the closest presidential races in recent history. Second, Harris is heavily focusing on mobilising women voters, as polls indicate a significant gender gap in voting intentions.

According to a recent NBC poll, there is a 34-percentage point difference between male and female voters. Harris holds a 16-point lead among women, while Trump has an 18-point advantage among men. This gap is particularly notable following the Supreme Court's decision to overturn federal abortion rights in 2022, which has influenced Harris's campaign.

A clash of ideologies

The election represents a clash between Trump’s "traditional and patriarchal masculinity" and Harris's policies, which are less aligned with traditional gender roles, according to Kelly Dittmar, a political science professor at Rutgers University. Former Republican Congresswoman Liz Cheney, who supports Harris, believes there will be "secret" votes for the Democrat.

"I think you're going to have, frankly, a lot of men and women who will go into the voting booth and will vote their conscience and will vote for Vice President Harris," said Cheney, who is the daughter of former vice president Dick Cheney.

"They may not ever say anything publicly but the results will speak for themselves," she said.

Former first lady Michelle Obama recently hammered home the point, reminding the female electorate: "If you are a woman who lives in a household of men that don't listen to you or value your opinion, just remember that your vote is a private matter."

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