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With hundreds of thousands of people set to descend on the National Mall on Saturday for the Women's March on Washington, it could be easy to dismiss the scores of female voters who traveled to the capital to celebrate the incoming president.
But on inauguration morning, they were there, braving hours in the cold to witness history and welcome into office the man they believe will make America great again.
For these women, Donald Trump’s presidency represents a hope for change. After eight years of a Democratic president, they look forward to having a Republican champion in the White House — whether that means a man they believe will spark job growth, an advocate for their anti-abortion beliefs, or simply a president they think can keep them safe from terrorism and crime.
Many women were turned off by Trump's candidacy, in part because of his history of demeaning women, including boasting about unwanted sexual advances. Some of Trump’s female supporters who came out on Friday said those issues bothered them, too. But with the nation at stake, they felt it was important to look past his personal flaws and focus on what they felt he would do to help the nation.
And despite all of Trump’s problems, more women voted for him than the pollsters had expected. He won 53% of white women’s vote, and 42% of women nationally.
Some of those voters came from across the nation to attend the inauguration. They journeyed by bus with their church groups and drove in with friends and family. Motivated by their personal beliefs and hoping for a new kind of politics, they woke up at the crack of dawn and stood outside the Capitol for hours, all in the hopes of getting a glimpse of the new president.
Here are their stories.
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