Kellyanne Conway Speaks at RNC, Praises Trump for 'Elevating Women'

By Dana Cruz First Posted: Aug 27, 2020 02:01 AM EDT

Kellyanne Conway, a top White House counselor, said during her speech at the Republican National Convention (RNC) that President Donald Trump has "elevated women."

In Conway's RNC speech, she hailed Trump as a champion of women and an "empathetic leader."

These comments are important as polls had suggested that Trump is losing support among the women who backed him in his 2016 run, reported The Washington Post.

The RNC appearance is believed to be Conway's last major public appearance as part of the Trump administration, noted Politico.

Conway served as Trump's third campaign manager in 2016 and, when he won, she became the first woman to have successfully run a presidential campaign.

Appealing to Women Voters

Conway wore white during her speech to pay tribute to suffragists. Along with White House Press Secretary Kayleigh McEnancy, she appealed to the suburban women that the GOP lost in the 2018 midterm election.

"A woman in a leadership role still can seem novel. Not so for President Trump," Conway said. She said Trump has elevated women for decades into senior positions in business and government.

"He confides in and consults us, respects our opinions and insists that we are on equal footing with the men," she said.

Conway also talked about the importance of her role during Trump's 2016 run. For her, Trump helped her "shatter a barrier" in the world of politics.

She said her stint in the campaign empowered her to manage it to its "successful conclusion."

Both Conway and McEnany made their personal case on Trump's relationship with women in his office. Their involvement in the RNC is quite rare, as political staffers are often put behind the scenes, noted Los Angeles Times.

Conway announced her exit as one of Trump's longest-serving advisers on Monday. Her reasons for leaving the White House aren't related to Trump's leadership, though. She said she's leaving the White House to focus on her family.

Conway's White House Exit

Using family as reasons for leaving the White House had been the favorite cloak for Washington workers who were forced to step down from their posts. But in Conway's case, a family crisis really has been playing out, the Fox Atlanta noted.

She is married to conservative attorney George Conway, who is a vocal Trump critic and a co-founder of anti-Trump Lincoln Project.

Conway's husband has been an active supporter of Democratic nominee Joe Biden's presidential bid. The couple has four children. One of them is a liberal social media influencer who has talked more about her parents and politics online.

The teen announced her plans to seek emancipation from her parents on Saturday and, soon after, Conway announced her step down from the White House.

Her husband also announced that he will step back from the Lincoln Project and social media.

"This is completely my choice and my voice," Kellyanne Conway stressed in an online statement. She added that for their children, there will be "less drama and more mama."

There was no mention of Conway's upcoming departure during her speech.