The women who could make or break MAGA

Amidst President Donald Trump’s coalition in 2024, a significant yet often overlooked group is gaining attention: conservative women. These women, represented by figures like Christian conservative influencer Savanna Faith Stone, are expressing dissatisfaction with the MAGA identity.

“Promises that were made have not been delivered on at all, and I think young women are realizing that,” Stone stated in a POLITICO interview. “They’re realizing, ‘Hey, you promised lower gas prices. You promised the economy would be better. Like, that’s why we voted for you.’”

This week, as Stone turns 21, she joins a wave of influencers heading to San Antonio, accompanied by young families, to participate in Turning Point USA’s Women’s Leadership Summit. This event, described as the largest gathering of its kind for young conservative women, serves as a platform for rejecting “woke” culture, celebrating faith, and fostering a sense of unity under the banner of “faith, family, and freedom.”

However, beneath the surface lies a division within the GOP, particularly among the young right, as disillusionment grows with the second Trump administration. This reflects a broader shift from identifying as “MAGA” to embracing an “America First” perspective.

Stone argues that Trump is “not America first.” She supported a president who pledged no new wars, pro-family policies, and cost reductions. “It’s harder than ever for a young couple to be able to buy a home,” she added.

Support among young women for Trump increased from 33% in 2020 to 40% in 2024, yet recent polling indicates a growing gender divide in partisan support. As the midterms approach, prominent voices among young conservative women warn of the possibility that many might abstain from voting.

“I cannot express to you the level of alarm bells that should be ringing for the GOP,” said conservative influencer Alex Clark to POLITICO, highlighting concerns about issues ranging from the ongoing war in Iran to the persistence of pesticides, which are eroding trust.

Clark, a prominent figure within Turning Point, is a 33-year-old podcaster with a substantial following. She developed a MAHA-focused health and wellness platform as a means to gently promote conservative values. (“You’re trailing my show!” she recalled Kirk telling her in 2024. “Yeah, you better watch out!” she responded.)

Clark has openly criticized the administration, stating, “I straight up told [the White House], ‘People want ‘fight, fight, fight Trump.’ They don’t want ‘ballroom Trump,’’” and noted that “some of the magic and the spark that helped us win 2024 is missing.”

Alongside influencers like Isabel Brown and Riley Gaines, they symbolize the Turning Point faction of Gen-Z and millennials. They assert that women’s biology influences them to follow strong men, attributing this belief to the GOP’s appeal among young women in 2024 as the party entered the manosphere. Stone drew controversy by suggesting that voting should be one vote per household. Clark expressed to POLITICO her belief that a woman should not be president.

The landscape of female influencers is diverse and often divided. Raquel DeBono, known for her “Make America Hot Again” stance, expressed disdain for Turning Point’s summit and criticized the rigidity of the faction that excludes figures like Megyn Kelly. “If you want to let women into the tent and you want more women to vote conservative, you need to be less cringe and horrible,” DeBono stated.

Meanwhile, influencers like Emily Wilson, of “Emily Saves America,” and Priya Patel, conservatives in West Hollywood, uphold traditional values while appealing to women who may not share these views. “I read my Bible. I want to get married young. I’m saving myself for marriage,” Patel said. They co-host “Pretty Political” and have followers ranging from “girls that do Only Fans, makeup artists, graffiti artists” who all “love America,” according to Wilson.

Whether based in urban areas or among Turning Point’s young moms, they find common ground on key issues — such as foreign policy and accountability for the Jeffrey Epstein files — that are steering them away from MAGA or the White House. With young voter turnout already a challenge in midterm years, they worry that many young conservative women may not vote in November.

Responding to a request for comment, the White House highlighted its “most pro-woman agenda in American history,” emphasizing achievements in women’s sports, violent crime reduction, expansion of the child tax credit, and efforts to create a renter-friendly market, as stated by spokesperson Anna Kelly.

The administration, according to Kelly, has “achieved win after win on issues women care about most — and we’re just getting started. The MAGA coalition is stronger than ever, and women continue to play a powerful role in the movement.”

Yet, GOP women politicians recognize the challenge. “It’s something that I have spoken to the White House about,” said Rep. Kat Cammack (R-Fla.), co-chair of the Republican Women’s Caucus. She emphasized the need for the GOP to focus on affordability, warning that failure to deliver jeopardizes their trust and support in the election.

Arkansas Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders acknowledged past mistakes of not directly addressing women, stating that “Women want a lot of those same things. We want safe neighborhoods. We want the opportunity to make decisions about how we raise our families.”

Marjorie Taylor Greene expressed skepticism about the GOP’s response to these concerns, texting about the difficulties single mothers and women face amid rising inflation and costs, and critiquing Trump’s tone and language as unappealing to women.

Despite their attire ranging from florals to ruby-red Trump hats, these young conservative women do not regret their vote and wish for the administration’s success.

However, building trust for the future of the emerging female right remains essential. “After Trump in 2028, if we want to see this energy continue that we had in 2015 and 2024, if we want that to have any sort of life after 2028 — it has to become an America First movement,” Clark told Playbook. “That is the cry of the base right now.”