Analysts are careful to note that women are obviously not monolithic, but say some general trends are evident. It's the way society is going, the downsizing by corporations. Economic anxiety is particularly high among older women, many analysts say. Women over 65 and those just over a decade younger are particularly susceptible to Democratic attacks on the Republican plan to restructure Medicare, and to Democratic promises, like Clinton's last week, to safeguard pension programs. That's why when women hear talk about cutting back on the entitlement programs like Medicare and Social Security, they feel the icy grip of fear.
Some studies suggest that neither party has fully capitalized on women's economic concerns.
Some Republicans acknowledge that their party's focus on balancing the budget, which has dominated the debate in Washington for the past year, has fallen flat with many women. Women, on the other hand, are more likely to want to see a more activist government. The volatility is especially true with many of the younger, high-school educated women who sat out the 1994 election. At the same time, the Democrats hope to make inroads with suburban and professional women who might ordinarily lean Republican on economic grounds, but are turned off by the party's social agenda over issues like abortion. Ms. DiVall says that Republicans have numerous opportunities for appealing to different groups of women, including mothers who are not in the work force, white women who consider themselves independents and evangelicals.