Emma Watson's United Nations speech has recently gone viral across social media sites. Watson's speech, which promotes the HeForShe campaign, addresses the issue of gender inequality and poses a new approach for confronting the unfairness women face across the globe. The HeForShe campaign - and Watson -believe that the movement for gender equality must involve men. Her speech aligns with what the national Republican Party is working towards: appealing to women.

Here in Massachusetts, as the Governor's race tightens between Martha Coakley and Charlie Baker, the gender gap is tightening as well. A recent Suffolk University/Boston Herald poll had Coakley leading among women voters by 11 percent, down from the most recent Boston Globe poll of 15 percent margin, and Baker leading among men by 11 percent.  Women voters matter because they vote!  And that is why candidates on all sides of the political spectrum are appealing to women voters as the key voting bloc in the upcoming statewide elections. 

Not only do women voters matter, women candidates figure prominently on the ballot due to an unprecedented number of women running for office this year.  In a state that boasts some of the most liberal politics and policies in the country, it is incomprehensible that women account for only 25 percent of legislators.  We have recently made progress in electing two Congresswomen, Niki Tsongas and Katherine Clark, both in special elections, but there is much more work to be done. 

The Republican Party not only statewide but even more so nationwide, needs to appeal to women by fielding candidates who offer hope and opportunity, rather than a platform of negative messages and ideas.  Baker and Coakley are virtually on the same page on important issues that women care about including education, marriage equality, and reproductive rights. Women also want a good economy and a strong public safety system.  Most women want the government to stay out of their health care decisions, but also provide the services to those who need them. 

Not long ago, many proclaimed that it was impossible for women to win statewide elections in Massachusetts. In November, however, citizens will have the opportunity to vote for women who are running for Governor, Attorney General, and Treasurer. If Martha Coakley, Maura Healey, and/or Deb Goldberg win, they will join a Congressional delegation that includes Senator Elizabeth Warren and Representatives Niki Tsongas and Katherine Clark. Clearly, the Commonwealth has moved beyond the notion that women can't get elected in Massachusetts.

But the real story here is not the candidates - it's the voters. Massachusetts, like the rest of the country, is experiencing a gender gap: one that could have very real consequences for this upcoming election. Throughout the gubernatorial campaign, Attorney General Martha Coakley has maintained a large lead among women voters over her Republican challenger, Charlie Baker. A recent Boston Globe poll shows that 42 percent of women voters in Massachusetts are affiliated with the Democratic Party (as opposed to the mere 12 percent who consider themselves Republican), and that 46 percent of them intend to vote for Coakley. Meanwhile, only 31 percent intend to vote for Baker.

So, are women voters simply interested in seeing increased representation in politics? Can Republicans decrease the gender gap by putting more women on the ballot? Why has the gender gap between the two parties become so persistent and pronounced, even in Massachusetts?

The conventional wisdom asserts that issues around women's health drive women voters towards Democratic candidates. The reality is that a whole host of concerns motivate women when they vote. The Globe poll shows that an 8 point difference separates men and women on the question of whether or not the country I is on the right track, with a majority of women of the belief that we are heading in the right direction.

We can only speculate about this discrepancy, but it may be that with a stronger economy and the implementation of the Affordable Care Act strengthening the social safety net, women feel more comfortable about the future of the United States; and they want to reward the candidate who shares that vision for the future. That vision can be shared by either Democrats or Republicans, but only if it is genuine and truly addresses women's concerns.  

To continue the conversation, connect with Ann Murphy (@annsaxtonmurphy) and Suzanne Morse (@sznnmorse) on Twitter.