Women opinion leaders are less worried about the economy this year than in 2012 and want national political leaders who can compromise.
Every fall, the market researchers at Minneapolis-based Ginger Consulting poll 350 women between the ages of 21-to-65 from 10 metropolitan areas who Ginger identifies as handpicked "alpha" women; educated, informed, opinionated females who also drive 85 percent of household spending, and a big chunk of the economy.
In 2012, 70 percent of those women wanted a president who could steer the country to a better economy, noted Mary Van Note a Ginger co-founder. As the economy has grown and strengthened, that priority has fallen among the dozen or so choices they were given.
"They are feeling cautiously optimistic about the economy," Van Note said. "And they know there are limits to what a president can do."
The top priority (46 percent) for an "ideal president" is one who can compromise. The Ginger partners, who interpret consumer research for corporations, inferred from the results that a majority are tired of inter-party fighting and inability to tackle big issues collaboratively.
"These are working women and moms and they understand the value of compromise and they are saying to the parties: get along and get some things done," Van Note said. "They trade off and compromise in their lives, and they figure the people who run the country can do that."
And a growing number, or about 60 percent, feel good enough about the economy to plan major purchases such as furniture and vacations.
"They are still some paying down debt and putting money in savings," Van Note said. "We haven't gone back to a [pre-recession] frothy period."