We are all facing our greatest challenge. Spark life is working aroundtheclock to keep you connected. Doing our job so it is easier to do yours. Sparklight support cspan as a Public Service along with , these other televion providers, giving you a front row seat to democracy. We begin with live coverage of the oklahoma governors debate. Publican incumbent kevin stitt and democratic candidate joy hofmeister meet at six clock p. M. Easternime, hosted by news ninokhoma. At 7 30, the new jersey democratic representative and his republican challenger meet a race hosted by the new jersey globe. At eht Iowa Republican governor kim reynolds and democratic chaenger hold a debateted by iowa pbs iowa watch our coverage beginning at 6 30eastern on cspan. Cspan now, our free mobile app, or on cspan. Org. Listening to programs on cspan with cspan radio just got easier. Tell your Smart Speaker plate cspan radio and listen to washington journal at 8 00 a. M. 7 00 a. M. Eastern, talking about Public Affairs drug the day and text washington today for a fastpaced report on the stories of the day. Listen to cspan anytime. Just tell your Smart Speaker, play cspan radio. Cspan, powered by ado. Cable. On women and the 2022 election, the president of concerned women for america, Annabelle Rutledge. The folks who are concerned for women, what is your mission . Great to be on with you. With the nations largest policy Womens Organization we have about half a million members throughout the country and weve been around since 1979 with the institution for conservative women and we are just so grateful beyond to be on with you and we are ready to encourage conservative women to vote in this Midterm Election. Host the young women for america, what is that and what do you do . Young women for america is a High School Collegiate arm of concern for america. We work on the same issues and do the same activism in a different sphere. These are girls about 16 to 26 were highly engaged, they are taking on high school campuses, college campuses. And you are joining us this morning from akron ohio as part of your bus tour. Explain what that is paired guest what that is. Guest day three of a 12 day 40 stop bus tour going into key battleground states encouraging Christian Women to turn out and vote. We are definitely leaning into the key states of ohio, pennsylvania, arizona, nevada and some others along the way. Its been great to talk to people in ohio, very excited about this election and ive heard a lot of support for j. D. Vance coming out of the local sphere in ohio. Host what role our Christian Women playing in 2022 . World they play in the last election . Guest Christian Women are women who love their families, love god, love their country. I dont know for dissimilar from other women. Youve probably seen the New York Times poll in which we are seeing independent women lean to the right and i think what i would say conservative women are concerned about is the same thing all women are concerned about. Right now we are concerned about the issue of inflation, supporting our families. The number one Google Search right now is crime. And of course we are socially conservative so we believe in the issue of life, but its really at this moment and especially as i talk to people in ohio the issue of inflation thats top of mind for women. I grew up in appalachia and tennessee and kentucky and much like j. D. Vance i had the hillbilly experience in the best way possible. But i also had the experience of going to the grocery store. And having to put food back because he didnt have enough money to pay for it. Having to putting gas in my car and not being able to have food paid this is whats happening and thats why youre seeing this enormous swing towards conservative candidates. Host the abortion debate in election 22 we saw yesterday President Biden putting this front and center saying if democrats maintain control of the house and senate if they expanded there were Senate Majority codifying roe v. Wade will be the first bill that he sends to congress. Do you think it is overstated the role it will play in 2022. They are hoping, in fact they are putting all of their eggs in the abortion basket which is a huge mistake. Of course we care about life. But given the things advocating for is an extreme position on abortion. The bill he is supporting makes abortion legal across this nation. Now after roe v. Wade has been overturned on a statebystate basis people are able to decide. In ohio it has a 20 week ban, pennsylvania has a 24 week ban, i think those are very liberal positions. People have to be educated on the state level and thats whats happening around this nation. Conversations are happening that we are not able to have that have no impact for the overturn of roe. What i think it is a huge mistake. Conservatives are happy about it , the liberals are suggesting that everything is about abortion. They boil it down to the issue of abortion and its a mistake we are not single issue voters. If you look at polling when you talk to women about what their concerns are. Abortion is at the bottom. And at the top right now is inflation and crime. Host Annabelle Rutledge, on young women in the issues that are bringing them to the polls, is this the same issue set that vance was just speaking about . Guest i think everyone is definitely feeling the economy impact their pocket and you might say people who might be feeling that even more than others would be College Students. I remember being a College Student a little bit over five years ago, and barely having the news to make sure i could get my five under dollar books for the semester. In the 2018 Midterm Election we first saw massive increase in young voters ages 18 to 25 turning out in higher percentages than ever before. I want to say was a 20 increase. And since then that momentum has continued and young people are very engaged with whats going on in social issues are important to them. Theres a strong sense of compassion among young voters and although the democrats are hoping the abortion debate will skew things in their favor. They need to remember that there were young women standing on the steps of the Supreme Court this summer when roe v. Wade was overturned who have worked towards this goal for many years. But theyve been working that for many years and his momentum behind them. The realization and chipping away at that its so fundamental and important to them and how they how their activism can spread and how thats fueling that going forward. Another key issue for young women is the womens sports issue. Host we are going to try and work on that connection and get penny and Annabelle Rutledge back with us this morning. A few issues coming to us live from their bus tour. Let me get the phone numbers will beget that connection back. If you want to join the conversation. 2027488001 for republicans to call in. Democrats 2027488000. Independents 2027488002. Womens issues and campaign 2022 is our topic and it is penny nance and Annabelle Rutledge. I should ask are you on the bus right now . Guest we are. Can you hear me all right . Host yes. Guest we are on the she prays she votes bus thats going across the country. And we are seeing a lot of support, we are rolling into everything from the parking lot to companies and independent businesses. People of invited us. People are coming out in droves to greet us and tell us what they are thinking about, whats top of mind for them right now. Host let me let you chat with a few callers who are calling in for you. We will start in mississippi on the line for independence. This is james pay you are on with penny and annabelle. Caller good morning. Host whats your question or comment. Caller my comment is this. For you all to say christian and using politics saying we are conservatives, we are going to put our policies before christianity, you sound like a hypocrite. You are sounding like your listening to the Republican Party and saying people that are not christians are not supporting whats right in this country. And you are putting women in a position that they have no power over their own bodies. Do you remember when jesus christ was met with these christian people and they brought this woman that was caught in adultery and they tried to use that against jesus tomb charge this woman with a crime but they left the man out and they said let he without sin cast the first stone. Host go ahead. Guest i would love to address that. Certainly we believe that our faith is separate and apart from politics and i would just say to anyone listening i dont know whos listening today but god loves you, jesus died for your sins. We are all broken sinners in need of redemption and we have come to that with the integrity and honesty we also know what the bible says on key issues. Genesis one tells us that god created them in his image and we will stand on those promises and on that truth. We know we talk about support for israel and for gods people. We certainly understand that we are broken and that he died for least of the. And we would never cast aspersions on the broken bread sex trafficking is one of our key issues as a matter of fact. And the conviction just to onto that. Whether you are christian or not, it is our conviction and are held belief to engage on these issues. Its the beauty of america the difference in our conviction and beliefs to bring us to the polls. So for us as Christian Women our faith in everything we do and thats the same no matter what your beliefs are. Host one of our viewers via twitter, wants to know where you are on the separation of church and state . Guest we certainly dont want the state in fringing on our religious freedom certainly. But we think christians can purchase a paid in the public rigor and have since the founding of our nation. That separation was always intended. That was a letter Thomas Jefferson wrote about this and the intent behind that letter when you look to it is to protect the people against the government infringing on their liberties. The whole reason america exists. We came from a country where the crown was dictating what we had to believe. It was never meant to make us take our faith and hide it away. Guest lets be clear we do not believe in a theocracy. We want the church to stay in its place on the government stay in their place and we do not want the government infringing upon our religious freedom in any way. Host womens issues in the 2022 election. Missouri, independent, go ahead. Caller i am calling because i think it is a mistake to tie conservativism to religion and i feel like im seeing that more and more. To be honest, i consider myself a christian and i wont go back to church because of stuff like this. I feel like you cannot intertwine government and religion. There are plenty of people out there who care about things like womens rights who maybe arent for abortion themselves and wouldnt do it for themselves but we also dont think it should have anything to do with the government. The government doesnt have the right to tell people what to do with their bodies. I just want to tell women out there you can be a christian and not vote conservative. Host ms. Nance. Guest ok. Whatever. [laughter] great, im glad that she thinks that and shes entitled to her opinion and so are we. We are speaking for a group of women who very firmly believe in principles. Yes you can think that your view of abortion is in line with biblical principles. Take the time to read and study. God loves you and jesus loves you. Certainly you can be my sister and not agree with issues on politics. Theres a reason why the vast majority of evangelical christians and faithful catholics vote for conservatives because its more likely to be in line with our faith. We certainly dont think that these people are in any way, our pastors or religious leaders. Your trying to walk in our faith every day of our lives, protect our families and in many cases get the government to leave us alone. Host linda out of uniontown, pennsylvania, a republican. Good morning. Caller good morning. I just wanted to say yes i am a christian and i firmly believe abortion is wrong. I think if people could see what actually happens during an abortion. Life starts at conception, thats in the bible. Whenever the holy spirit came upon mary and she was with child. She went to her cousin rebecca. John the baptist and sick whenever she approached her cousin it said in the bible john the baptist at six months that life begins. Another thing i want to point out. We shouldnt even be in this situation of abortion. There are so many methods of Birth Control out there. The pill, there are ways to prevent pregnancy so you dont even have to have the fight about abortion. And i think conservatives should really bring that up more. There are plenty of options for Birth Control. Its like you are pregnant you have to get an abortion. Why dont we concentrate on prevention from pregnancy and thats all i want to say. Host linda this morning. Guest i did want to point out at the very beginning she mentioned education. And i do think there can sometimes be this idea that everyone understands whats happening during an abortion. And we are giving ourselves whats true. What weve seen repeatedly as people do not know what an abortion is specifically talking about young women for america shocked at how many College Students Abortion Pills by mail have no idea whats going on in their bodies when they have an abortion whether its clinical or surgical. So that something young women for america heavily lean into. We provide this at our headquarters, they take those materials, they gather together their peers from groups of five to 45 and educate them on the issue of abortion, the procedures, what happens to that child and theres work to be done there and thats why we are having this conversation. Guest one of the key legislative issues this year at the state level is they idea of natal developing being taught in the classroom. Kids dont know that it six weeks you can detect a beating heart. And just basic fetal development. Talking about abortion at 15 weeks at that point a little baby has all her major organs, has fingernails and toenails. And it feels pain. Women start to understand whats actually happening really changes the conversation. I would suggest when we are talking about limiting abortion, in many cases it still to the left of europe. They have limited abortion within the first trimester because of these issues we are discussing. Host to the issue of abortion in a postroe world restrictions are up to states, are you ok with that or if republicans take over the house and senate, would you want republicans to pass a national ban on abortion . We are a long way away from that happening. There is so much work to be done. Politics is downstream of public opinion. And the vast majority of people if we have just said dont understand fetal development. We can only move so far with what people believe in and are willing to support. So right now this is a fight on a statebystate basis. There are some very limited there are some initiatives at the federal level that are happening, but we have a long way to go. Of course we fully support life but we understand reality and we are working not only to educate people on what happens but also alternatives for women. Another Key Initiative on the federal and state level is something called standing with moms act. One of the first organizations to come forward and say we need a onestop shop for a woman anywhere in the country thats facing an unplanned pregnancy or even one thats concerned about her ability to provide to go on the internet, go to a place that will be created and already is created in south dakota called life. Gov and you can put in the zip code or state and find out all of the alternatives, everything thats around her. Everything like housing, education opportunities, health care, child care, whatever it is she needs. Many of these alternatives already are available but women do not know. So whether they are in a situation in which their boyfriend or even their parents are saying you are on your own we are knocking to help you, they can be able to go online and say maybe im ok, maybe i can do this. So we want to support women in every way possible. Host a few minutes left with penny and annabelle, concerned women for america. Stephanie is in brooklyn, new york line for democrats. Good morning. Caller good morning, how are you this morning . Host doing well, whats your question or comment . Caller i believe that a woman should not be allowed to go under a regime of telling them what to do with their bodies. As an africanamerican woman who had for mothers as well as children. What i have seen as far as the government taking care of people, helping them with their children. They want us to bear these children, but they do not want to take care of children that are already here. You talk about how they have these programs to help mothers, unwed mothers. But they only have them for certain people. I. S. A social worker these people are left out. She is struggling to get the government is not helping her. What are we going to do for those children who are fatherless just like we have Herschel Walker and his kids out there. What are we going to do about that . Host let me take the question to penny and annabelle