In many ways , the 2012 election was the year of the woman . Women — who have historically formed one of President Barack Obama 's key constituencies — once again united behind him in large numbers and helped fend off defections from white male and independent supporters . A record 20 women will hold U.S. Senate seats next year—including newly-elected Wisconsin Democrat Tammy Baldwin , the first openly lesbian senator . The New Hampshire congressional delegation will be all female and , in Obama 's home state of Hawaii , Democrat Mazie Hirono will represent the islands in the Senate . `` I 'm not sure if it was as much a coincidence as a perfect storm , '' said Jennifer Duffy , a senior editor with the nonpartisan Cook Political Report . `` The conditions were right and the Republican nominee gave women pause . '' According to CNN 's exit polls , 55 % of women and 45 % of men voted for Obama and 44 % of women and 52 % of men voted for Romney . That level of female support for the president made an especially big impact in swing states like Ohio where the gender breakdown mirrored the national figures . Big gains for women in 2012 . It is a gender advantage Obama clinched even as early as mid October when data showed that among white women , the president led 52 % -46 % . Back in 2008 when Obama carried Ohio , he received 47 % of votes from white women in that state . Nationally , Obama received 56 % of the female vote in 2008 . `` I think it 's one of the things Republicans have to look at , '' Duffy said . `` 'Why are we the party of white men . ' '' Political experts also say Romney , who saw an early October surge of support among female voters , may have undone those gains during the second presidential debate when he said he used `` whole binders full of women '' as a hiring tool as governor , whiffed on an equal pay question , and alluded to helping women get home to cook dinner . `` That a presidential candidate in 2012 can utter such superficial answers to a serious question about women 's economic equity and autonomy reveals a lack of serious thought about issues of substantive importance to women , '' Kathleen Dolan , a political science professor at the University of Wisconsin , and Jennifer L. Lawless , an associate professor of government and director of the Women & Politics Institute at American University , wrote recently for CNN . `` It also demonstrates a lack of commitment to the change necessary to allow women and men to lead fully integrated professional and personal lives , '' they said . But Republican woes with women can not be blamed solely on Romney . Opinion : Women gain wider access to power . Verbal gaffes from down-ballot candidates such as Rep. Todd Akin , whose comments about a woman 's body preventing pregnancy after `` legitimate rape '' may have cost him the election , also reinforced for some voters concerns that the GOP is out of touch with women . `` Part of the reason Democrats had a good day was some conservative Republicans said some stupid things and it made some issues more salient than they usually are , '' said Andra Gillespie , an associate professor of political science at Emory University in Atlanta . `` When people are making comments about legitimate rape ... it scares women who might not have thought about it . Even the conversation about contraception ... this was a way to make women 's health issues very , very personal , '' Gillespie said . The first portion of this year 's political season saw a heated partisan showdown over a federal mandate requiring religious institutions to offer contraception insurance coverage to employees . The ensuing back and forth sparked a `` war on women '' fight between Democrats and Republicans that bled into congressional hearings , the campaigns and talk radio and re-ignited the gender wars . Democrats were able to use the rhetoric to suggest that Republicans would threaten the right to contraception—something studies indicate the majority of the public supports , said Michele Swers , a Georgetown University American government professor . Move over boys , New Hampshire goes to the women . `` The debate can be more framed on the aspects of the debate that were more popular with the general public , '' Swers said , adding that Democrats were also able to connect other GOP positions on abortion as extreme . There are some indications that social issues directly impacting women might have helped sway votes in some states . Tuesday 's early exit polls showed 51 % of Missouri voters said they believed abortion should be legal all or most of the time . Of those voters , exit polls showed 76 % supported Democratic incumbent Claire McCaskill , who won Tuesday night , while 19 % voted for Akin . Forty-seven percent of Missouri 's voters said abortion should be illegal . Exit polls showed Akin netted 67 % of this group 's votes while 27 % of people who think abortion should be illegal supported McCaskill . But much more than social issues , pocketbook economic issues most concerned women voters , exit polling showed . `` Women like all voters felt the economics were most important , '' Swers said . `` Women tend to be more supportive of government spending ( such as cutting things as Medicaid , and food stamps ) than men are ... so they were less responsive to Romney in that way and more responsive to Obama 's message on empathy and helping the middle class . ''
Women were seen as the key to the election this week . President Barack Obama got 55 % of the female vote on Tuesday . The U.S. Senate will see a record 20 women take seats next term .