((INTRO:))
[[In less than a month (if aired after Oct 6), American voters will go to the polls in midterm elections to fill all 435 seats in the U.S. House of Representatives and one-third of the 100-member Senate.The stakes this year are especially high since polls show the opposition Democrats could win a majority in the House, an outcome that would make it more difficult for President Donald Trump and his Republican party to pass their conservative legislative agenda.The battle to win the House will depend on who wins the many swing districts across the country, where surveys show women voters - especially better educated white women - may hold the key to victory.VOA’s Carolyn Presutti went to a suburban New Jersey swing district where she spoke with women voters.]]
((NAT of woman yelling))
((NARRATOR))
Women.
White.
and educated.
Experts say they hold the key to this year’s midterms.
((NAT SOUND))
“beet salad please”
((NARRATOR))
Lynn Fedele is a New Jersey high school teacher who holds a Masters degree.She voted for a third party candidate in the presidential election, but will vote Democrat in the midterms.
((LYNN FEDELE, TEACHER))
“I do believe government can do a lot to help with housing inequality and education and environmental protection and should be doing much more.”
((NARRATOR))
For her part, Chris Elliott says she will stay Republican for the midterms because of the immigration issue - even though she now regrets voting for Trump in 2016.
((CHRIS ELLIOTT, RETIRED))
“I’m an immigrant.I had to come over here legally and I had to pay to get all my documents. That illegal alien, I’m not for that.”
((NARRATOR))
For small business owners like Kate Smith -- who typically votes independent -- it’s all about the economy.
((KATE SMITH, SMALL BUSINESS OWNER))
“I would come down on issues around financial, fiscal responsibility, curbing some government programs, regulatory.”
(((nat of kids on swings w moms))
((NARRATOR))
Pew Research dating back to 1992 shows women lean more toward the Democratic Party than men. In the last presidential race, 54 percent voted for Democrat Hillary Clinton.But a slim majority of white women--52 percent -- voted for Republican Donald Trump.
Analysts say the Democratic party strategy is to woo back those female voters with candidates who have no political experience.
((BRIGID CALLAHAN HARRISON, PROFESSOR, MONTCLAIR UNIVERSITY))
“You’re seeing people with unique skill sets, business people, doctors and scientists that might attract a constituency that is different than kind of a stereotypical liberal woman candidate.”
((NAT OF SHERRILL))
((NARRATOR))
Like Democrat Mikie Sherrill.
((photo of pilot Mikie))
((Mandatory cg: Mikie Sherrill for Congress))
The former navy pilot is running in a district that hasn’t elected a Democrat in 36 years.To help, she brought in a crowd pleaser:
Former Vice President Joe Biden.
((JOE BIDEN, FORMER VICE PRESIDENT))
“She understands what duty means.She gets it.”
((MIKIE SHERRILL, DEMOCRATIC CANDIDATE))
“From what we’ve seen as far as who comes to our rallies and throws fundraisers, the women’s vote certainly is a key vote here.”
((nat of phoning voters))
((NARRATOR))
Republican Jay Webber is her rival.Webber campaigns on his experience as a state assemblyman.
((nat of advertisement))
((NARRATOR))
((Mandatory cg: Webber for Congress))
His political ad, seems to be aimed at women, by featuring his wife and seven children.He has also mobilized a group called Women for Webber.
((JAY WEBBER, REPUBLICAN CANDIDATE))
“Seems to me what women want—in many ways is what men want -- and that’s a thriving economy.”
((NARRATOR))
The nation's gross domestic product has grown an average of nearly 3% in each quarter since President Trump took office.But the question is whether the strong economy will be enough to keep this district in Republican hands.Major polls show Webber and Sherrill in a tight race.
((Carolyn Presutti, VOA News, in New Jersey's 11th District))
[[In less than a month (if aired after Oct 6), American voters will go to the polls in midterm elections to fill all 435 seats in the U.S. House of Representatives and one-third of the 100-member Senate.The stakes this year are especially high since polls show the opposition Democrats could win a majority in the House, an outcome that would make it more difficult for President Donald Trump and his Republican party to pass their conservative legislative agenda.The battle to win the House will depend on who wins the many swing districts across the country, where surveys show women voters - especially better educated white women - may hold the key to victory.VOA’s Carolyn Presutti went to a suburban New Jersey swing district where she spoke with women voters.]]
((NAT of woman yelling))
((NARRATOR))
Women.
White.
and educated.
Experts say they hold the key to this year’s midterms.
((NAT SOUND))
“beet salad please”
((NARRATOR))
Lynn Fedele is a New Jersey high school teacher who holds a Masters degree.She voted for a third party candidate in the presidential election, but will vote Democrat in the midterms.
((LYNN FEDELE, TEACHER))
“I do believe government can do a lot to help with housing inequality and education and environmental protection and should be doing much more.”
((NARRATOR))
For her part, Chris Elliott says she will stay Republican for the midterms because of the immigration issue - even though she now regrets voting for Trump in 2016.
((CHRIS ELLIOTT, RETIRED))
“I’m an immigrant.I had to come over here legally and I had to pay to get all my documents. That illegal alien, I’m not for that.”
((NARRATOR))
For small business owners like Kate Smith -- who typically votes independent -- it’s all about the economy.
((KATE SMITH, SMALL BUSINESS OWNER))
“I would come down on issues around financial, fiscal responsibility, curbing some government programs, regulatory.”
(((nat of kids on swings w moms))
((NARRATOR))
Pew Research dating back to 1992 shows women lean more toward the Democratic Party than men. In the last presidential race, 54 percent voted for Democrat Hillary Clinton.But a slim majority of white women--52 percent -- voted for Republican Donald Trump.
Analysts say the Democratic party strategy is to woo back those female voters with candidates who have no political experience.
((BRIGID CALLAHAN HARRISON, PROFESSOR, MONTCLAIR UNIVERSITY))
“You’re seeing people with unique skill sets, business people, doctors and scientists that might attract a constituency that is different than kind of a stereotypical liberal woman candidate.”
((NAT OF SHERRILL))
((NARRATOR))
Like Democrat Mikie Sherrill.
((photo of pilot Mikie))
((Mandatory cg: Mikie Sherrill for Congress))
The former navy pilot is running in a district that hasn’t elected a Democrat in 36 years.To help, she brought in a crowd pleaser:
Former Vice President Joe Biden.
((JOE BIDEN, FORMER VICE PRESIDENT))
“She understands what duty means.She gets it.”
((MIKIE SHERRILL, DEMOCRATIC CANDIDATE))
“From what we’ve seen as far as who comes to our rallies and throws fundraisers, the women’s vote certainly is a key vote here.”
((nat of phoning voters))
((NARRATOR))
Republican Jay Webber is her rival.Webber campaigns on his experience as a state assemblyman.
((nat of advertisement))
((NARRATOR))
((Mandatory cg: Webber for Congress))
His political ad, seems to be aimed at women, by featuring his wife and seven children.He has also mobilized a group called Women for Webber.
((JAY WEBBER, REPUBLICAN CANDIDATE))
“Seems to me what women want—in many ways is what men want -- and that’s a thriving economy.”
((NARRATOR))
The nation's gross domestic product has grown an average of nearly 3% in each quarter since President Trump took office.But the question is whether the strong economy will be enough to keep this district in Republican hands.Major polls show Webber and Sherrill in a tight race.
((Carolyn Presutti, VOA News, in New Jersey's 11th District))