The 2024 Race and the Rise of ‘Mama Bears’: GOP’s Voter Goldmine or Extreme Element?

Every election cycle presents its own defining voter demographic. The past has seen soccer moms, security moms, and even NASCAR dads. Today, the limelight is on the ‘mama bears.’

These conservative mothers and grandmothers, who have recently rallied for ‘parental rights’ including the prohibition of gender identity discussions in schools, have been labeled as extremists by the Southern Poverty Law Center. Despite this, they have been a primary target for the 2024 Republican presidential primary votes.

They have been acknowledged by the likes of Donald Trump, who complimented groups like Moms for Liberty for standing up to the liberal left. “Don’t mess with America’s moms,” he proclaimed. Governor Ron DeSantis expressed that the ‘woke’ policies have invoked the mightiest political power in the country: the mama bears. His wife, Casey DeSantis, who spearheaded “Mamas for DeSantis” in Iowa, declared that these women played a crucial role in DeSantis’ resounding victory for a second term as Florida governor. She anticipates a repeat of their influence in his presidential run.

Casey DeSantis spoke of a group of people who yearned for a voice, comprising not only Republicans, but also independents and even Democrats who are dissatisfied with the country’s direction. With anecdotes of raising children in the governor’s mansion, she emphasized the driving force behind the mama bear movement.

The mama bears targeted by DeSantis and other Republicans are conservative women dispersed across the United States. Many are white and may be part of larger groups like Moms for Liberty or smaller ones like No Left Turn in Education. Some are unaffiliated with any group.

This movement gained momentum during the COVID-19 pandemic, as parents had a closer look at what was being taught in public schools. Their ranks swelled after Joe Biden’s 2020 victory over Trump, driven by concerns of government overreach and ‘woke’ policies.

Many of these women have fought against pandemic-related school closures and mask mandates, worked to eradicate diversity, equity, and inclusion programs from schools, and attempted to ban books they deemed inappropriate. They’ve actively opposed instruction on gender identity and sexual orientation and have rallied behind school board candidates who echo their views.

Their critics argue that the mama bear image is a facade that hides an extreme agenda detrimental to children.

Katie Paris, who operates Red, Wine and Blue, a network of women countering GOP-endorsed policies such as the anti-LGBTQ and anti-trans efforts of Moms for Liberty, criticized the GOP’s strategy. She dismissed the ‘parents’ rights’ and ‘mama bears’ narrative as a crafty attempt to execute an extreme political agenda.

Point Loma Nazarene University Professor Linda Beail regards the mama bear movement as the modern version of a trend dating back decades, reaching as far back as the suffrage movement. She pointed to Sarah Palin’s game-changing role in the 2010 midterms where she used the term ‘mama grizzlies’ to refer to conservative women standing against Democrats.

Beail noted that the mama bear narrative could resonate with conservative women who have previously been politically inactive or skipped past elections.

The 2024 election could see the emergence of the mama bears as an influential force in conservative politics. Despite some previous failures in other states, the successes, such as Republican Glenn Youngkin’s 2021 gubernatorial victory in Virginia, indicate their growing influence.

Groups like Red, Wine and Blue have been proactive in opposing the mama bear movement. They’ve engaged in ‘Troublemaker Trainings’ to prepare women to confront groups like Moms for Liberty.

Paris criticized the ‘parental rights’ movement for diverting school district resources towards niche issues, such as transgender athletes, instead of focusing on widespread concerns like literacy rates post-pandemic.

However, proponents like Geralyn Jones, an Iowa mother leading a chapter of Moms for Liberty, insist they are merely protecting their children. The criticism they receive, she believes, validates their cause and demonstrates their growing momentum.

The 2024 race will be a litmus test for the political clout of the ‘mama bears.’ With women like these in the majority of households, Jones asserts, their voice indeed holds significant weight.

Contributions to this report were made by AP polling director Emily Swanson in Washington.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) about Mama Bears Movement

More about Mama Bears Movement

• Southern Poverty Law Center
• Moms for Liberty
• No Left Turn in Education
• Red, Wine and Blue
• The 1776 Project political action committee
• Casey DeSantis
• Ron DeSantis
• AP VoteCast