Latest Clinton-Trump social media fight could lead to voter turnoff & low turnout
#Repealth19th is no longer a top trending item on social media.
But Thursday it was still a very hot political topic generating outrage
“Hashtag- nah-ugh,” said Etta Devine.
There were also dismissals about just how serious the hashtag war may actually be.
"Nothing surprises me about viral media anymore, 'cause people blow up whatever little thing they can get their hands on. No not surprised even remotely,” said Geoff Mann.
The hashtag was created early this week shortly after maps were posted on twitter of what the presidential race could look like come November 8th. They were produced by a website called 538, which analyzes polling data. The group concluded what the electoral map will look like if only women voted; a Hillary Clinton victory was predicted.
If only men voted, the map does a complete gender flip, and Donald Trump wins. That map was reportedly used Wednesday by Eric Trump. He argued it shows momentum for his father's campaign. But those opposed to Trump claimed he was speaking against the 19th amendment; which gave women the right to vote.
It’s unclear who created the #repealth19th, but it certainly trended up on social media as some Trump supporters used it, and even seemed to endorse the extreme idea.
Political analysts Dr. Brian Smith, from St. Edward’s University, is worried about how the hashtag controversy is the latest fight to drag an already ugly campaign deeper into the mud.
"This is the election of moral outrage, at the extreme that people are not offended as they think they are until it hits social media, and then everybody is trying to up each other on the moral offense."
Smith tells FOX 7 the over-reaction and constant insults from both political camps could turn potential voters off and result in a low voter turnout in November.
"Turnout could be real key here, and as this race is still trying to find, what is this unshackled bottom, low turnout could be a big surprise for both parties and down ballot races that were once thought safe, now turn into toss ups or go the other way."
While Smith’s warns of the serious consequence, apathy is already starting to settle in on voters like Jeremy Pella.
"It’s hard to take anything seriously the way it’s been happening right now."
Several alternative maps were posted to poke fun at the hashtag controversy.
Some show what America would look like by dogs; all gray because dogs are color blind, and a juicy steak, cut in the shape of the U.S. Smith also pointed out making a joke of repealing the 19th amendment isn't new.
A few years ago this Cable TV comedy show did a skit that targeted people who didn't know about the constitutional amendment, or the suffrage movement that lead to its passage.
"It’s beyond ridiculous in many examples but at the end of the day we are still electing the most power person in the world and that's what the seriousness of it is."