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Five Under-40 Women At The GOP Convention Share The Surprising Reasons They’re Voting For Trump

This article originally appeared in Forbes.

What do young female delegates to the Republican National Convention think of Donald Trump?

During the primary, some of his inappropriate comments about women raised serious questions about whether women voters would be willing to support him in a general election, particularly against former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton. Women made up a majority of voters in the last presidential election, so whether Trump can persuade on-the-fence women to support him will help determine whether he wins the White House.

This week, I walked the Convention floor and asked female delegates under age 40 what they thought of the nominee. I also asked how they make the case to their female friends for Trump over Clinton.

Sara Walsh, a Missouri Delegate who described the Convention as, “Disneyland for political geeks,” said this about Trump and how he treats women:

“I’ve read a story on Ivanka and how much she admires him and how much he has influenced her. As her father, that is a great testimony of his leadership. I loved Rudy and look forward to hearing Trump’s kids. His wife did a wonderful job. It was nice to hear her at length and the warmth of his personality came through. His daughter and wife know him best.”

Many of the young women I’ve talked to throughout the week have pointed to the women around Trump, specifically Ivanka, as proof that Trump respects women.

Joeylynn Hough, a Maryland Delegate and Trump supporter from the beginning, said, “We must look at Ivanka. I believe she is an asset to Donald Trump’s campaign. She is going to be the one to show his softer side.”

And Jennifer Sullivan, a 24 year-old Florida Delegate who serves in the Florida House of Representatives, said:

“He hasn’t offended me personally. There are ways things he has said have been misconstrued, so played off as sexist, but I don’t think he is. If he was sexist, he wouldn’t have the women he has in high positions in his company.”

Among the women I talked to, there is a clear distrust (for a number of reasons) of Clinton. Sullivan continued, “My boyfriend is in the Air Force and I don’t want the Commander in Chief to be Hillary Clinton. I want him to come home alive. I don’t trust her.”

Peichi Shinn, a Texas Delegate, said she is supporting Trump because, “I don’t want Hillary to win.” She continued, “Hillary is a criminal. She is a liar. I am a Cruz delegate, but we need Trump. She has a lack of leadership. We don’t want more of Obama and Clinton.”

Sullivan, the youngest delegate I interviewed, is supporting Trump because of his policies, regardless of gender:

“I make a lot of decisions based on policy, not gender. I have never voted based on gender, but instead it is based on policy and principle….[Trump] believes in capitalism and free markets. I believe that with his economic policy small business will thrive. I believe he has better economic policies.”

Not surprising, none of the delegates pointed to social policy as the reason they are supporting Trump, but instead mentioned economic or national security policy.

Catherine Crosby Long, an Alabama Delegate and mom of two kids, said she is supporting Trump because “the things that are important to us are fiscal conservative policy, keeping the country safe, making sure small businesses can thrive, and making sure kids can get jobs when they graduate.”

Hough pinpointed national security policy as the reason she has supported Trump from the start:

“The reason why I support Donald Trump is because I am a young conservative mother with three children and national security is my number one issue. I believe he won’t enter negotiations without knowing the outcome and he will make us a stronger America. Right now we are not a nation feared. I want a strong America and military.”

Tonight, Ivanka Trump will deliver her much-anticipated remarks. The theme of the day is “Make America One Again.” To make America one, Donald Trump must be able to appeal to both men and women. Judging by the delegates I have spoken with, Ivanka Trump may hold the key to selling her father’s candidacy to women.

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