New Mexico Democratic Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham said at a Democratic National Committee meeting on Thursday that the party does not need male voters to win elections if women show up and vote. "If women, Democratic women, just show up and vote, we're good. We don't need any of the men," she said during remarks focused on preparations for the 2028 presidential election.

The comments come as Democrats have increasingly relied on women voters in recent elections. The party's electoral success has been driven significantly by female support across multiple races, a trend that some party strategists view as both an asset and a challenge heading into future cycles.

What the Left Is Saying

Democratic strategists acknowledged the electoral reality behind Grisham's comments while offering varying interpretations of her framing. Some argued she was emphasizing the party's strength with women rather than dismissing male voters entirely.

The party's 2024 election autopsy report, known internally as a post-mortem analysis, acknowledged ongoing struggles with male voters and recommended "direct engagement" with that demographic. The report suggested Democrats "deploy male messengers, address economic concerns, and don't assume identity politics will hold male voters of color."

Supporters of the approach pointed to data showing women vote at higher rates than men in every presidential election since 1980, according to Rutgers University's Center for American Women and Politics. They argued that mobilizing existing Democratic-leaning women voters represents a sound electoral strategy.

Some progressive commentators noted that Grisham's comments reflected calculations already embedded in party strategy rather than a new position. "The math is real," one unnamed Democratic operative told Politico. "But you don't say it out loud."

What the Right Is Saying

Republican National Committee officials quickly responded to Grisham's remarks, arguing they demonstrated Democratic detachment from male voters.

"This is exactly why Republicans are competing and winning in places Democrats used to take for granted," said RNC spokesperson Emma Clarke. "When your party's governor says you don't need half the country, that reveals something fundamental about how they see their own voters."

Conservative commentators argued the comments illustrated a broader Democratic strategy that has alienated working-class men. Several Republican strategists noted that economic concerns cited by male voters represented an opportunity for their party.

Former Trump campaign advisor Kellyanne Conway wrote on social media: "Democrats keep telling on themselves. This isn't a gaffe — it's a worldview."

Some Republican operatives cautioned against overconfidence, noting that the gender gap has existed for decades and does not guarantee Democratic victories. "The numbers are real, but elections aren't won in columns," said one veteran Republican strategist who asked not to be named.

What the Numbers Show

The electoral data supporting Grisham's underlying point is substantial. In 2024, approximately 91.3 million women cast ballots compared with 82.6 million men, according to Census Bureau data analyzed by the Associated Press.

Recent Democratic victories reflect this divide. Virginia Governor Abigail Spanberger won support from 65% of women voters but only 48% of men in her election. New Jersey Representative Mikie Sherrill posted similar margins, carrying 62% of women while receiving support from just 49% of men, according to exit polling data from Edison Research.

The gender gap has widened over time. University of North Carolina Associate Professor Rebecca J. Kreitzer wrote that the modern gender gap emerged during the 1980 presidential election and has grown from a 4-to-6-point difference in the 1980s to roughly 12-to-15 points in most races by 2020.

Women have voted at higher rates than men in every presidential election since 1980, according to Rutgers University's Center for American Women and Politics. The gap has been particularly pronounced in midterm elections.

The Bottom Line

Grisham's remarks crystallize a tension within Democratic Party strategy: how to address an electoral coalition increasingly dependent on women while attempting to expand support among men who have drifted toward Republicans.

The data shows Democrats have built a durable advantage with female voters, but party leaders recognize the limitations of relying on one demographic. The 2024 autopsy report explicitly called for renewed outreach to male voters rather than writing them off.

Republican strategists see opportunity in comments like Grisham's, though they acknowledge that changing voter behavior takes more than Democratic missteps. The gender gap has existed for four decades and has not produced uniform Democratic dominance across all elections and regions.

The 2028 presidential cycle will test whether Democrats can broaden their coalition or must rely on maximizing turnout among women voters. Both approaches carry risks and opportunities heading into the next national election.