Pet Politics in the 2024 Election: How Cats and Dogs Factored into Voter Preferences
The 2024 presidential election brought an unexpected twist to the political landscape: the influence of pet owners. While pet preferences don’t traditionally dominate electoral discussions, this year saw them playing a surprising role, thanks to comments from Republican vice presidential candidate JD Vance and a well-timed endorsement from Taylor Swift.
Here’s a breakdown of how pet ownership correlated with voting patterns in this historic election:
Dogs Rule the Ballot
Donald Trump secured a narrow majority among pet-owning voters, particularly those who owned dogs. According to the AP VoteCast survey of over 120,000 voters:
- Dog owners were more likely to back Trump than Kamala Harris, the Democratic candidate.
- Trump won about 6 in 10 male dog owners who didn’t also have a cat and about half of female dog owners in this group.
This is significant because dog owners represented the largest bloc of pet-owning voters, making up 30% of the electorate, compared to just 15% who owned only cats.
Cats and the Gender Divide
Kamala Harris found success with women who owned only cats, securing about 6 in 10 of their votes. This group was small but notable for its strong disapproval of both Vance and Trump.
- Female cat owners were more likely to have negative views of the Republican Party.
- However, male cat owners narrowly sided with Trump, with slightly more than half supporting him.
The Vance Effect?
Vance’s previous remarks about “childless cat ladies” may have alienated some voters, particularly women, but it’s unclear how much this impacted the outcome. Many women who owned cats were already disinclined to vote for Trump or the GOP, suggesting deeper partisan divides rather than specific fallout from the comment.
Party Loyalty Over Pet Preferences
Ultimately, the results suggest that party loyalty trumped pet loyalty:
- Male dog owners leaned Republican, with 6 in 10 identifying as Republicans.
- About half of female dog owners also identified as Republicans.
Even inflammatory rhetoric, like Trump’s baseless claim that immigrants in Ohio were stealing and eating pets, didn’t seem to sway the results among pet owners.
Lessons for Future Campaigns
The 2024 election shows that while pet ownership can shape subsets of voter identity, it doesn’t override entrenched party allegiances. However, candidates may still want to appeal to pet lovers in future elections, as pets symbolize care, relatability, and trust—traits every politician aims to project.
Neither Trump nor Harris owns pets, leaving an opportunity for future campaigns to leverage America’s love for furry companions. A charismatic dog on the campaign trail could bring more bark—and bite—to voter outreach.