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'Palin Paradox': Male-Heavy Districts Elect Women

Congresswomen flourish in areas with skewed gender ratios

By Jason Farago,  Newser Staff

Posted Jun 8, 2009 8:37 AM CDT
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(Newser) – Alaska is reliant on male-dominated industries like mining and fishing, and the state has 106 men for every 100 women—the most gender-skewed state in the country, where the overall ratio is 86:100. Yet Alaska is one of just five states with an elected female governor, and one of Alaska's senators is a woman as well. Statistics bear out this "Palin paradox," writes Nate Silver of FiveThirtyEight.com: women are more likely to be elected in districts where the male-to-female ratio is higher.

Only 17% of the 535 House and Senate members are women, yet among the country's 25 most heavily male districts, more than a third have females representing them—among them Nancy Pelosi. While Democratic women tend to do better than Republican ones, the trend holds across race, income, and educational level. It's an "extremely counterintuitive" phenomenon with no obvious explanation; perhaps, Silver jokingly concludes, "a lack of female companionship triggers a yearning for it that is manifested in the way we vote."

Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin speaks to members of the Army's 4th Brigade Combat team 25th Infantry Division during a deployment ceremony in Anchorage, Alaska on Tuesday, Feb. 3, 2009.
Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin speaks to members of the Army's 4th Brigade Combat team 25th Infantry Division during a deployment ceremony in Anchorage, Alaska on Tuesday, Feb. 3, 2009.   (AP Photo/Al Grillo)
Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin gives the state of the state address to a joint session of the Senate and House in the Capitol in Juneau, Alaska.
Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin gives the state of the state address to a joint session of the Senate and House in the Capitol in Juneau, Alaska.   (AP Photo/Al Grillo)
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi speaks during a roundtable discussion on education as Iowa Lt. Gov. Patty Judge, left, looks on, Saturday, June 6, 2009, in Des Moines.
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi speaks during a roundtable discussion on education as Iowa Lt. Gov. Patty Judge, left, looks on, Saturday, June 6, 2009, in Des Moines.   (AP Photo/Charlie Neibergall)
Alaska Governor Sarah Palin waves as a special guest in a parade during Founders Day celebrations in Auburn, NY, Saturday, June 6, 2009.
Alaska Governor Sarah Palin waves as a special guest in a parade during Founders Day celebrations in Auburn, NY, Saturday, June 6, 2009.   (AP Photo/Kevin Rivoli)
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COMMENTS
Showing 3 of 11 comments
Rob
Jun 9, 2009 11:46 AM CDT
Oh nuts, there you go insulting like that. Are you ready to tell me to be nice agian?
oldgoat
Jun 8, 2009 8:51 AM CDT
Ever heard of MILF? That is why the men are so hot for her. She is a air head, but what the heck as long as she can gosh darn keep sending a shout out they love her.
paul123
Jun 8, 2009 7:11 AM CDT
Social rejects living in shacks? Have you done/read a case study or is this just your prejudice?

Women in Congress: an all-time high, but still too low
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Nancy Pelosi • women • voting • electorate • sex ratio • Sarah Palin • gender equality

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