“Clinton, whose rally speeches can sound stilted, has struggled to excite the young voters who were thrilled by Obama’s gifts as a communicator. But for some women of her generation, both professionals and homemakers, her preference for quiet labour over grandiose performance is familiar.

Betsy True, 61, is a quiltmaker in Alexandria, Va., who had a previous career in computers at the defence department, a male-dominated workplace where her opinions were sometimes treated with sexist disdain. She said she admires how Clinton managed to work together in the Senate with people who voted to impeach her husband — and how she did not show off.

‘She just did the work,’ True said. ‘Put her head down, did the work.”