The high-stakes midterm elections are less than two weeks away and both parties are courting women voters in close races around the country. “CBS This Morning” co-host Bianna Golodryga visited Morris County, New Jersey in the state’s 11th district. In 2016, it elected a Republican to Congress by a margin of about 20 points. President Trump only carried the district by four and Democrats hope they can turn it blue this November.
Golodryga spoke with four women there: Republicans Barbara and Natalie and Democrats Cheryl and Jessica. While they have different politics, they all agree on there is too much on the line to sit out this election. They also all see the midterms as a referendum on the president.
What is the number one issue for you going into the midterms?
CHERYL: Check on the presidency and return to civility, in addition to health care.
BARBARA: I would say I’m more concerned with results. And I actually think the country needs to be less politically correct.
JESSICA: Checks and balances. It’s out of control.
NATALIE: Any elected official or candidate running for office also – just their stances on local government because politics is local and we tend to forget that.
Two years into Trump’s presidency, is the country’s economy better off?
CHERYL: Under the Trump administration the stock market, for example, has continued to…grow, if you will.
BARBARA: I would say yes, he has been good for the economy. He’s removed a lot of restrictions on business.
NATALIE: I’m pleased with the tax reform that he has made…this is the lowest unemployment rate that we are enjoying.
BARBARA: I think people don’t like Trump and that’s been evident from the moment he took office… And it’s just built up to a fever pitch. The press coverage of Trump is overwhelmingly negative.
JESSICA: It’s really his own press coverage though. Like, do you follow him on Twitter? He tweets these ridiculous things.
NATALIE: I am a minority. And honestly, I am not fond of his language…But he’s what the country has needed. I mean, that’s the way I see with the way the economy is performing.
CHERYL: See, I would, if I may, just one last quick thing…Frankly, a lot of people feel that, you know, at what cost?
JESSICA: Exactly.
CHERYL: At what, for how long can this really be sustained? And sometimes people are making trade-offs and if we have, if people have money in their pockets but yet there are fights and riots in the streets, at some point, that’s even going to impact our economy.
JESSICA: What side of history do you want to be on?
Are politicians doing enough to bring back civility?
BARBARA: I would say both parties are not doing enough….But right now I do think the Democrats are more culpable.
JESSICA: I just feel like the Republicans are – and I’ve never been such a party line person – but I feel like the Republicans are just selling their souls.
NATALIE: We need more people like Senator Flake that did end up bringing some unity to the country at a time that it just desperately needed it…we’re guilty on both sides.
Are you worried for your children’s futures?
CHERYL: No, no. I’m very concerned about their safety…and I think that the Republican Party is really committed to helping, you know, the upper echelon of income and to the expense and detriment of people from less advantaged communities.
BARBARA: I think when Obama left office, something like 28 percent of the population felt this country was moving in the right direction. That number is now in the forties….So, a majority of people, and I’m among them, do think that the country is starting to turn itself around.
JESSICA: Yeah, I’m worried for my children’s future. I don’t think the country is going in the right direction at all…my daughter had two incidents during the election where she was called the N-word twice. And that never happened. We lived in, ugh, I don’t wanna get, like, emotional.
CHERYL: It’s very real though.
JESSICA: Yeah.
CHERYL: It’s very real
BIANNA: Your husband, your husband is Puerto Rican?
JESSICA: None of my kids have ever had any issues and then twice in the same year. So you can’t tell me it’s not because of Trump. You can’t tell me.
Is this election a referendum on President Trump?
CHERYL: Arguably It is. It is.
BARBARA: Somewhat.
JESSICA: Yeah, I think so.
NATALIE: It’s really precarious for Democrats and Republicans alike. The fight is on. I don’t know how — any other way to put it.
