Join Tony Perkins on Washington Watch as he delves into the recent election results in Virginia, New Jersey, and New York City and what they mean for the Republican and Democratic parties moving forward. From the government shutdown to the rise of Democratic Socialism, this episode provides a comprehensive analysis of the current political landscape. Get insights from Kansas Senator Roger Marshall and Georgia Congressman Andrew Clyde on the legislative filibuster, the shutdown’s economic impact, and voter turnout challenges.
SPEAKER 12 :
From the heart of our nation’s capital in Washington, D.C., bringing compelling interviews, insightful analysis, taking you beyond the headlines and soundbites into conversations with our nation’s leaders and newsmakers, all from a biblical worldview, Washington Watch with Tony Perkins starts now.
SPEAKER 10 :
Last night, it was not expected to be a victory. It was a very Democrat area. I don’t think it was good for Republicans. I don’t think it was good. I’m not sure it was good for anybody. The shutdown was a big factor, negative for the Republicans.
SPEAKER 09 :
That was President Donald Trump earlier today reacting to the election results in Virginia, New Jersey and New York City, where a socialist has just been elected mayor. Welcome to this November 5th edition of Washington Watch. I’m your host, Tony Perkins. Thanks so much for joining us. Well, coming up on today’s program, as the federal government remains shuttered, President Trump is calling on Republican senators to change the rules and end the legislative filibuster. Is that the answer? Or would it open the door to even greater problems down the road? Kansas Senator Roger Marshall joins us to discuss. Also, Georgia Congressman Andrew Clyde shares his reaction to Tuesday’s election results. Well, Democrats swept Tuesday’s off-year elections, winning key races in Virginia, New Jersey and New York City. Abigail Spanberger captured Virginia’s governorship. Jay Jones was elected attorney general despite revelations of his vulgar and demeaning text messages. And Zoran Mamdani became New York City’s first Muslim and openly socialist mayor. Joining me now is Washington stand reporter Casey Harper, who’s been tracking today’s top stories. Casey, what does the rise of a Democratic socialist as New York City’s new mayor signal for the city and for that matter, the country?
SPEAKER 04 :
Yeah, it’s a good question, Tony. I think it shows that parts of the nation, especially in these big cities like New York, are moving further from our founding ideals and really our founding faith. Mamdani represents that shift. And as you’d expect, the new socialist mayor, he’s already clashing with President Trump.
SPEAKER 13 :
So Donald Trump, since I know you’re watching, I have four words for you. Turn the volume up. I am Muslim. I’m a democratic socialist. And most damning of all, I refuse to apologize for any of this.
SPEAKER 04 :
Well, President Trump has already warned that given Mamdani’s socialist and even communist leanings, he may consider withholding certain federal funds from the city. Now that he’s won, Mamdani has pledged to freeze rents, provide universal childcare, make public transit free, and expand government programs. Of course, all this raises serious concerns about New York’s financial stability and the future overall. And Jewish leaders, Tony, are sounding the alarm, accusing Mamdani of sympathizing with Hamas and opposing Israel.
SPEAKER 09 :
Well, thanks for that update, Casey. I think yesterday’s election results were clearly disappointing, but they shouldn’t be surprising. They confirm what we’ve been seeing developing for years, a divided nation drifting further from the truth. And I’ll talk about that a little bit more later. Casey, one of the ballot measures that passed yesterday in California could have national implications. Tell us about Proposition 50.
SPEAKER 04 :
Yeah, it certainly could, Tony. Proposition 50, which was advanced by Governor Gavin Newsom, it dramatically changes how California’s congressional districts are drawn. So by more than 60 percent, California voters approved this measure, which essentially shifts redistricting power back to the state legislature for the next five years. What does that mean? Well, it means potentially giving Democrats up to five additional House seats in the 2026 midterms. To put that in perspective, Republicans currently hold a razor-thin majority in the House. Democrats, they argue they’re simply countering what Republicans did in Texas, where redistricting efforts are expected to add several GOP seats. The result? What some are calling a redistricting war, with Florida, North Carolina, and Pennsylvania battling over new maps. While the stakes could not be higher, Tony, control of Congress could hinge on how these lines are drawn.
SPEAKER 09 :
Well, Casey, I think we’re seeing the results of that even here in our nation’s capital as this election fallout continues. Senate Democrats may have a path to end the government shutdown. I mean, what’s next in their move?
SPEAKER 04 :
Well, Tony, the shutdown now on day 36, longest in U.S. history. And President Trump has actually said it, as in that clip you showed, that the standoff is what hurt Republicans in Tuesday’s elections, especially in the states like Virginia and New Jersey. So this morning at the White House, he proposed a pretty controversial solution. He asked Republican senators to eliminate the legislative filibuster to allow the government to reopen.
SPEAKER 10 :
It’s time for Republicans to do what they have to do, and that’s terminate the filibuster. We will pass legislation at levels you’ve never seen before, and it’ll be impossible to beat us. By the way, if they do, they’re going to do it anyway, and they are going to immediately do the filibuster. And when they do the filibuster, they’re going to pack the court.
SPEAKER 04 :
Eliminating the Senate filibuster, it would allow legislation to pass with a simple majority and Republicans could end the Democrat shutdown, but that change carries serious risks. The filibuster has long served as a guardrail against sweeping partisan laws, and without it, a future Democrat majority could quickly move to do some pretty aggressive things like pack in the Supreme Court, grant statehood to D.C. or Puerto Rico, which would add four new Democrat senators, and lock in control of the Senate for generations as well as the Supreme Court. But for now, neither party, Republican or Democrat, appears willing to take that step, though the pressure is mounting, Tony.
SPEAKER 09 :
Well, that’s good news because your analysis is right, Casey. With a simple majority, the left could push through some of its most radical policies unchecked. And let’s not forget, let’s not forget this fact. Democrats have controlled, they have been in the majority in the Senate nearly three quarters of the time over the last century. That’s right. All right, Casey, thanks so much. I want to continue discussing the latest on the government shutdown, starting first with a perspective from the House, and we’ll get the Senate perspective later. Joining me now to talk about this and more, Congressman Andrew Clyde, who is a member of the House Appropriations Committee, the Budget Committee, and the Freedom Caucus. Congressman Clyde represents Georgia. Congressman Clyde, welcome back to Washington Watch. Thanks for joining us. Well, thank you, Tony. Great to be with you on Washington Watch. All right. Before we discuss the shutdown, I want to first get your thoughts on the results from Election Day, because there were some races in Georgia that turned some heads.
SPEAKER 08 :
Yes, there certainly were, and the outcome here in Georgia was quite disappointing. But I think if you look at it, you see there’s a number of mayoral races there, local races, especially Atlanta, that drove Democrat turnout. And so I think that’s what you saw here. We need to ensure that our Republican base stays energized for these type of statewide elections, and that’s what hurt us. I think in the rest of the country, You know, blue states electing Democrat leaders or socialist leaders. I don’t think there’s any surprise there. But I was very disappointed at the outcome here in Georgia.
SPEAKER 09 :
I mean, you had two statewide seats to public service commissions, usually races that don’t get a lot of attention. But Democrats won those races against incumbents with a 60-plus percent margin. That’s and that’s the first time that’s happened where you’ve had Democrats win in the state of Georgia statewide since I think 2006. That is correct.
SPEAKER 08 :
But again, if you look at what drove turnout, I think it was the mayoral races here in the blue cities that have the large populations. When you don’t have those kind of races in red areas, then then you don’t have the the what drives turnout. And there was no other real statewide election or any other important, statewide important election. So as a result, you see a problem there for the Republicans and an advantage to the Democrats. And that’s kind of why you saw, I think, the 60-40 split.
SPEAKER 09 :
Well, that’s why… It’s important that conservatives vote in every election.
SPEAKER 08 :
Absolutely.
SPEAKER 09 :
We talk about pray, vote, stand. We need to be praying for our nation, praying for our leaders, both at the state, local, and federal level. But we need to vote every time we have something on the ballot, whether it’s a tax for the dog catcher or whether it’s for the president of the United States. We need to be out there voting.
SPEAKER 08 :
every conservative, their civic duty, every American should be out voting. And, you know, if you go to other countries that don’t have the liberties that we have, we take so many of our people take our liberties for granted. And those liberties should never be taken for granted. You know, as Ronald Reagan said, it’s not passed on in the bloodstream. It has to be fought for every solitary generation, every election. It has to be fought for in our People, the conservatives who believe in the founding documents of our nation, we have to get out every election and protect that so that our future generations have the same liberties that we have.
SPEAKER 09 :
Right, right. And to your point of Georgia in particular, which is just a micro of what happened in the macro, is that you had these local elections, drove turnout. We had some good people. Tim Eccles, who served on the Public Service Commission, I’ve known him for decades. probably 30 years. And he’s been, I think he’s served for 16 years in that position, bringing conservative values. And he was defeated because people didn’t turn out to vote in those red areas, as you mentioned.
SPEAKER 08 :
Right. I mean, Tim Eccles actually goes to my home church. So absolutely, you know, we did everything we possibly could. But, you know, unless conservatives are really willing to, you know, take time and focus on this nation and go, okay, we have got to get to the polls because that is a constitutional right that we have to vote and we have to continue to exercise it or we’ll lose it.
SPEAKER 09 :
It’s a right that we have as Americans. I would add to that, Andrew, that as a Christian, it’s an obligation. I believe we have an obligation to be out and be salt and light and to vote. All right. I want to go back. We just have about three minutes left. I’m going to go back to the issue of the shutdown. Now that the election day has come and we’ve got Democrats doing a victory lap, do you get any sense that the Democrats are now ready to reopen the government saying they’ve accomplished something?
SPEAKER 08 :
Well, I think that is a possibility right there. From what I understand, there are some negotiations going on with the more moderate senators, a number of them, enough of them to actually overcome the filibuster. We need seven Democrats to vote with Republicans, and we’ve got three, and I think there’s enough that actually would do that now that they’ve had this blue state victory in blue states. It gives them something to crow about. But, you know, welcome to day 36, the longest shutdown in history, in the United States history, due specifically to the Democrats and their desire to spend more money and to provide health care for illegal aliens over American citizens. I mean, you know, the Transportation Secretary just announced that this weekend we’re going to have a problem with about another 10 percent of our airwaves. or our airspace from aircraft not being able to fly because of the shutdown. That’s a serious problem for our economy.
SPEAKER 09 :
Yeah, he just made that announcement just this afternoon that the FAA saying that the shutdown is going to start impacting flights in 40 major locations. So about a minute left, Congressman Andrew Clyde, what do you see as possible ways way forward. I mean, we’re almost at the end of the CR that was originally put forward. What do you see as the possible outcomes here?
SPEAKER 08 :
Well, I think the Senate either is going to have to pass a continuing resolution with an adjusted date, and I would see that optimal date being somewhere in end of January to end of February timeframe, so that it gives the Appropriations Committee time to negotiate between the House and the Senate. The House Appropriations Committee has completed all 12 of their appropriations and sent them to the House floor, but the Senate has not done that. In fact, the Conferee Committee isn’t even
SPEAKER 09 :
um you know put together on the senate side very very quickly uh andrew i’m hearing from senate appropriators they only want a cr to the uh to the end of december maybe the 21st of december no that’s a bad idea a bad idea but that’s what that idea yeah i know but that’s setting us up for christmas it certainly is pork filled and absolutely not that will not have support in the house good hold the line because the outcome of that would be horrible Congressman Andrew Clyde, always great to see you. Thanks so much for joining us today.
SPEAKER 08 :
Thanks, Tony. Great to be on Washington Watch.
SPEAKER 09 :
All right, folks, we’re going to talk more about the election a little bit later, but coming up next, we’re going to get Senate perspective on what’s happening.
SPEAKER 17 :
How are you handling the pressure of life? The Apostle Paul knew what it meant to face pressure. He wrote some of the most powerful letters of the Bible from prison. Yet those letters overflow with joy, courage, and unshakable freedom in Christ. Paul’s Prison Letters is Family Research Council’s 14-day Stand on the Word study guide that takes you deeper into these life-giving truths, calling you to stand firm, rejoice in every season, exalt Christ above all, and extend forgiveness that sets others free. We just started our 14-day journey, so join us. as we read God’s word, reflect on God’s word, and apply God’s word to our lives. Order your study guide now at frc.org slash prison epistles or text letters to 67742. Join us and discover where true freedom is found.
SPEAKER 09 :
For over 4,000 years, the Jewish people have had legal, historical, and biblical ties to the land of Israel, especially the heartland of Israel, Judea and Samaria, which much of the world still calls the West Bank. To Israelis, Judea and Samaria is far more than a name. It’s the center of their ancestral homeland where nearly 80% of the Bible’s events took place. Abraham purchased property in Hebron, Jacob in Shechem, Joshua made an altar on Mount Ebal and led the Israelites into a covenant before God. On Mount Gerizim, overlooking Shechem, Jesus talked to the Samaritan woman at the well about worshiping neither on Mount Gerizim nor in Jerusalem, but in spirit and in truth. Judea and Samaria is nearly a quarter of Israel’s current land mass, not a small strip of land on the Jordan River, but a vital and strategic part of the nation’s identity. The October 7th massacre, launched from Gaza, shattered the illusion that giving away territory brings peace. Gaza, which was once seen as the cornerstone of a two-state solution, became a launch pad for terror. Today, only 21 percent of Israelis support a Palestinian state. Trust in a two-state solution has all but collapsed. The Middle East is changing. Iran’s grip is weakening. New alliances are forming. But Western countries and some U.S. officials still chase the mirage of a two-state solution. History speaks clearly. The 2005 Gaza withdrawal, backed by the U.S., led not to peace, but to a terrorist regime. Judea and Samaria are 24 times larger than Gaza, deeply woven into Israel’s geographic and spiritual fabric. To surrender them would not bring peace. It would invite conflict and existential danger. Family Research Council stands with Israel’s rightful claim to sovereignty. It’s time for America to do the same for history, for justice, and for lasting security in the Middle East. Welcome back to this Wednesday edition of Washington Watch. Thanks so much for joining us. Be sure and check out the website, TonyPerkins.com. Resources there available for you as well as on the Stand Firm app. So go to the app store and get the Stand Firm app where you can have access to Washington Watch no matter where you go. And you’ll have access to our news and commentary from a biblical perspective, the Washington Stand. Not to mention my daily devotional, Stand on the Word. All that is on the app, the Stand Firm app. All right. There’s a lot of speculation, as we were just talking about, on what impact Election Day could have on the government shutdown. With some seeing it as a potential off ramp for Democrats, they could do a victory lap and they can get off and say, OK, we’ve we’ve prevailed. We’ve proven our case and we’ve won all these elections. Will they do that? Well, I don’t know. Joining me now to discuss this and much more, U.S. Senator Dr. Roger Marshall of Kansas. He serves on several committees, including the Budget Committee. And he joins us now. Senator, welcome back to Washington Watch. Thanks for joining us.
SPEAKER 18 :
Great to be with you. And we are in this battle together. I sure appreciate you having me on tonight.
SPEAKER 09 :
Well, it’s always good to have you on, Senator. All right. Let’s ask. I’m going to ask you this. You had breakfast with the president this morning. He’s talking about the filibuster as the way to end the government shutdown.
SPEAKER 18 :
Yeah, Tony, certainly that was his that was the president’s message today. He’s he’s pretty he’s a he’s a great convincer. Right. I think what folks need to realize is that number one is the filibuster is not in the Constitution. This is a rule in the Senate. The rule was meant to protect, though, the minority. that remind folks we’re a republic, that we’re not a democracy, and a republic protects the rights of the minority. But he’s absolutely convinced that the Democrats are not going to let him do anything else with his agenda the remainder of three years unless we get rid of this filibuster. And I got to tell you, two weeks, I would have said there’s no way I could ever consider it. But here we are, every day that we go along, I’m sitting there wondering, look, we can’t keep the government shut down forever, right? And if I could just share, one thing that I learned today is the Democrats woke up very emboldened that they’re crediting last night’s victory. One of their credits is the fact that they’ve had the government shut down. They feel like it’s giving them more power. They’re willing to keep the government shut down clear until the next election because they think it would help them. And that’s why I would describe this as a political shutdown. They’re more concerned about their reelection than they are whether our military is getting paid or our children get their money for the SNAP programs.
SPEAKER 09 :
Yeah, Dr. Marshall, I think all that is true. And it appears that the Republicans are the adults in the room right now trying to get the country operating once again. There’s got to be a handful of those Democrats that at some point will come to a realization that they, too, have to be adults. My hesitation on the filibuster, getting rid of that, and you’re right, it’s not in the Constitution. It’s a rule that’s been there for a long, long time. But over the last hundred years, Democrats have been in the majority in the Senate chamber 72 years out of 100. And we don’t have to we don’t really have to scratch our heads very long to figure out what they would do if they could pass legislation by a simple majority. I mean, I think they would. Puerto Rico becomes a state. Washington, D.C. becomes a state. For additional senators, I mean, that could possibly put the Senate out of reach of Republicans for the foreseeable future, if not forever.
SPEAKER 18 :
Right. Tony, so you’re absolutely right about all that. And if I wish the filibuster was in the Constitution, then it would be next impossible for the Senate to change it. And this truly, Tony, I mean, I know people talk about praying for decisions, but I wake up every morning that I would do justice. And truly, I’m torn a little bit trying to decide what the right thing is. If you could guarantee me that the Democrats aren’t going to get rid of the filibuster, the next time they’re in control, and it’s going to happen. I don’t know if it’s going to be two years, four years, or eight years. Are they going to do it? And just remember, it was just two years ago that every senator here that’s still here voted in favor of ending it. And that would be the president’s point. Now, there’d be others here that argue, oh, that was just a show vote. They really wouldn’t do it. So everything you said is absolutely true. I would prefer, I would prefer to keep the filibuster in place. But if they’re going to change it anyway, should we proceed and getting rid of it, getting the government open and then proceeding with President Trump’s America First agenda? You know, for instance, voting. If we got rid of the filibuster, then we could make our election secure again. We could basically outlaw mail-in ballots, and we could demand voter IDs. So there’s good things, there’s bad things, and I’m truly wrestling with it.
SPEAKER 09 :
Right. Well, this is my commitment, and I know that my viewers and listeners will do the same, to pray for you and the other senators as you wrestle with these tough decisions. And I know, because you and I have had many conversations, that you do. pray through these things. And I appreciate that about you, Roger, and that you’re committed to serving the people. And these are heavy things that you have to face because there are people that I was talking to some pastors this week, you know, checking on people who are coming to the church looking for food assistance because of some of the things that are happening. So these are real issues. Affecting real people and we have to wrestle through them in a way that in the end does, I’d like to say the greatest amount of good, but sometimes it is making sure that we don’t do harm because there’s unintended consequences by decisions that are made.
SPEAKER 18 :
Yeah, that’s spot on, Tony. And, you know, I got to, again, admit a lot of the laws that we pass are bad ones. And what the filibuster does, it keeps us from passing even more bad ones. It saves us from ourselves. As, you know, other senators have said that the house is like the coffee cup and the Senate’s supposed to be the saucer. We’re supposed to measure twice, cut once. And that’s what the filibuster makes us do. It keeps us from jumping over. It makes tax law more permanent. rather than every two years tax law changes, is the best one that I can think of as well. It gives us more certainty. So I can think of 100 reasons to defend it. And my big concern today is what if? Are the Democrats, when they control the Senate, are they going to get rid of it? And we do end up with Puerto Rico estate. They pack the court and the list of things that I’m sure you’ve mentioned before.
SPEAKER 09 :
I think if we do away with it, we go from that place of the cup and the saucer to a styrofoam cup. I mean, I think I think it becomes almost disposable. Very quickly, we got about a minute left. Senator Marshall, any discussion movement on the horizon where we might see Democrats agreeing to open the government?
SPEAKER 18 :
You know, there is. There are definitely some strong smoke signals coming from across the aisle. And Leader Thune is certainly receiving those messages loud and clear. I think the question is, are there 10 brave soldiers over there that are going to walk the plank and get butchered by the legacy media, by the far-left Marxists that are driving this Democrat Party right now? It’s going to take courage. Absolutely will take courage. They’re going to get the heck beat out of them. And you understand that as well as anybody does. It’s going to take a very much a courageous group to do this. And even Chuck Schumer, who typically would be the first one standing in line to keep the government open, it sounds like he’s abandoned any opportunity to do that.
SPEAKER 09 :
Well, we’ll pray for them too. Senator Roger Marshall, always great to see you. Thanks for joining us. Stick with us, folks.
SPEAKER 16 :
Three years ago, the Supreme Court issued its historic Dobbs decision, a ruling that overturned Roe v. Wade, which for nearly 50 years imposed abortion on demand, silencing voters and bypassing the democratic process across the country. The Dobbs decision was a huge step forward against abortion, but it didn’t outright ban it. It returned the power to the people. Now, 29 states have laws on the books protecting life. However, there’s a catch. Abortion numbers since Dobbs have actually gone up with an increase of 12% since 2020, climbing from 930,000 to over 1 million in each of the most recent years. So how can this be? The answer is simple. The abortion drug. Today, over 60% of U.S. abortions involve abortion drugs, many of these without medical oversight. In 2021, the Biden administration quietly removed bare minimum longstanding safety protocols for the abortion drug that have existed for 20 years to protect women from life-threatening risks and ensuring informed consent. The Biden DOJ then declared that they would not enforce the Comstock Act, which prevents the mailing of anything that causes an abortion. This is not only illegal, but also dangerous. A study shows nearly 11% of women who take the abortion drug end up in the emergency room with serious complications. Unless the Trump administration reverses these reckless Biden-era policies, pro-life laws will remain largely symbolic. Without a full review and repeal of Mifepristone, unborn lives will remain in grave danger, and pregnant mothers will remain at risk. Let’s stand for life and end this mail-order abortion drug pipeline. Sign the petition urging the Trump administration to take action at frc.org slash stop chemical abortion.
SPEAKER 09 :
This is Washington Watch, and I am Tony Perkins. The website, TonyPerkins.com. All right, our friends at Regent University’s Israel’s Institute are hosting a pastor’s conference next week titled, Does Israel Matter for Jesus and the Gospel? Now, the conference takes place next Thursday and Friday, that’s November 13th and 14th, on Regent’s campus in Virginia Beach, Virginia. Now, you will hear about the assault on evangelical support for Israel, why Israel matters for Jesus and the gospel, and the best practices for engaging Israel and Jewish people. The conference is free, including meals. But advanced registration is required and space is limited. To sign up, to attend in person, or to listen to the panels online after the conference, visit regent.edu slash doesisraelmatter. That’s www.regent.edu slash doesisraelmatter. That resource is at tonyperkins.com if you didn’t catch that. When the U.S. Supreme Court redefined marriage with its 2015 ruling in the Obergefell case, to many that marked the end of the battle against so-called same-sex marriage. But as the consequences of that ruling became increasingly clear, there’s a growing movement that’s pushing back against the left’s make-believe world, including the idea that two men can make a marriage. Well, this Friday, the Supreme Court will vote on whether or not to take up the case of Kim Davis. You may remember that name from way back, a clerk from the state of Kentucky who was imprisoned, actually put in jail. She was the first to be persecuted for exercising her religious freedom rights. Well, joining me now to discuss this case is Matt Staver, founder and chairman of Liberty Council, which is representing Kim Davis before the Supreme Court, possibly. Matt, welcome back to Washington Watch. Thanks for joining us.
SPEAKER 06 :
Thank you, Tony. Good to be with you.
SPEAKER 09 :
All right, let’s start with a quick refresher on Kim’s case.
SPEAKER 06 :
Well, Kim’s case began on June 26, 2015, when five lawyers, that’s the Chief Justice’s term for the five, invented so-called same-sex marriage. He said that they imposed their own opinion, their own will, not a legal judgment, and it has nothing to do with the Constitution. So right after that, Kim Davis was faced with this issue. She decided not to issue any marriage licenses while she asked for a religious accommodation. And in the meantime, While she was waiting for that accommodation response, she was sued by same-sex couples. Then she ultimately went to prison for six days. While she was in prison, one of the deputy clerks actually issued a license but scratched out her name, wrote through the name. the then-governor Bashir, the Democrat, who refused to give an accommodation originally, said that that’s okay, the license is valid, even though her name was scratched out. And then she got an accommodation from the new governor, Matt Bevin, in December of 2015 with an executive order. And then the legislature gave her an accommodation unanimously passing a law in April of 2016. So she got the accommodation she wanted, but the same-sex couple, they got also the license they wanted, but it didn’t have her name. So they continue to pursue a vendetta against her, and it’s going on for 10 years. They eventually got a jury award for emotional distress damages over hurt feelings. Her feelings were hurt, they said. And so $100,000 was against Kim Davis personally, in her personal capacity. And the judge that threw her in jail for six days tacked on attorney’s fees for $260,000. So she now faces a personal judgment of $360,000 and counting. even though she got the accommodation she sought. And now the case is before the Supreme Court. So on Friday, November 7, the justices will convene. We need four justices to vote yes to take the case, and obviously we need five justices to win. The two issues are free exercise of religion should be protecting her. She got the accommodation. She should have gotten it originally when she asked the judge, but he didn’t grant it. And then secondly, Obergefell, this 2015 fictitious notion that two men can marry, and that’s the same as opposite-sex marriage, should be overturned.
SPEAKER 09 :
Matt, a lot has changed in the last 10 years since the court created this make-believe world of same-sex marriage. I mean, we’ve seen, the American public has seen the consequences. We were told, oh, just two people who love each other, they ought to be able to get married. We’ve seen how this has brought about the whole transgender issue. This has brought about how our schools have been infiltrated with this and our children indoctrinated. Are we at a tipping point of possibly going back, just like what we saw with Roe v. Wade being overturned?
SPEAKER 06 :
I think we are, you know, at the root of all what we’re seeing right now, girls being overrun by boys in their sports, invaded in their private spaces, you know, people saying that they can have whatever gender they want. That all starts, that’s all embedded in the Obergefell opinion. Because if a case involving an objective gender-based relationship marriage, if gender doesn’t matter in a gender-based relationship, then it doesn’t matter anywhere. So the actual policy embedded in the Obergefell opinion is what we’re now seeing with this LGBTQ transgender issue. But I think polls are showing people are rejecting same-sex marriage. They’re rejecting this radicalization and this gender ideology. And just within two weeks, less than two weeks ago, the Texas Supreme Court voted nine to zero to change the judicial ethics code because of the same-sex marriage issue. They said that judges have a First Amendment right to opt out of issuing same-sex marriages because the First Amendment predates Obergefell and is not overruled by that 5-4 opinion. So I think the momentum is changing, just like we saw with Dobbs overruling Roe v. Wade.
SPEAKER 09 :
Matt, we just have about a minute left, but isn’t this an example of what, you know, the truth that is written inscribed on the hearts of man that eventually, eventually it comes to the surface?
SPEAKER 06 :
So true. I think what this really shows, as it does with abortion, that the true north is what God designed. He created you and I in his image, male and female. He created in his image. You can’t let current political pressure or the certain blowing of the winds change that vision. basic inalienable value and right and so i think we have to constantly speak the truth the truth will ultimately prevail as it did in the abortion as it will in the abortion on the individual states and as it will in this particular case here continue to stay the course truth will prevail what was meant for evil god can turn around for good well matt staver i want to thank you for being one of those fighters fighting these things consistently in the courts you’re doing a great job and thanks for joining us today thank you my pleasure
SPEAKER 09 :
Alright folks, stick with us. More on the election coming up. Our founding scripture for this is Ephesians 6, verse 13. Therefore, take up the whole armor of God that you may be able to stand in the evil day, and having done all to stand, stand therefore.
SPEAKER 07 :
Family Research Council’s Pray, Vote, Stand Summit 2025 brought together Christian leaders, issue experts, and government officials for a time of prayer, inspiration, and action.
SPEAKER 09 :
We are equipping the body of Christ to understand that what is happening around us is not just political. It’s not just cultural. At its heart, it is spiritual.
SPEAKER 13 :
We gather in a nation that has torn the foundation apart, and we have separated our governing documents from our divine source, Jesus Christ. We need truth now more than ever to guide us.
SPEAKER 02 :
I’m believing, God, let this be a testimony of the American church, that we become so full of the fire of the Word of God that we cannot contain it. We have to tell people about it. We have to make disciples.
SPEAKER 15 :
The idea of America was the idea that our rights don’t come from governments. They come from our divine creator, right? Government’s main job is to protect those rights. And because that was the foundation of America,
SPEAKER 11 :
we’ve enjoyed over the last 250 years more freedom more prosperity more stability than any other nation anywhere in the world and that should be celebrated we are living in a moment what’s that moment it’s a prophetic moment on god’s timeline that’s right and so he needs the church more than ever to act biblically for the blessing of our political leaders and of our nation the number one issue
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facing America domestically, which is the epidemic of fatherlessness. 40% of all American children today enter the world without a father in the home married to the mother.
SPEAKER 01 :
We cannot win the pro-life fight without acknowledging that this is the pro-family fight, that this is the pro-marriage fight. We’re never going to end abortion if we do not secure and shore up marriage.
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We pray that this would be an opportunity, Lord God, for you to use us mere little mortals, but we possess the name of Jesus. God, use us mightily. We pray in Jesus’ name and all God’s people said, amen.
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SPEAKER 09 :
All right, welcome back. If you have not yet gotten the Stand Firm app, I encourage you to do so. Get the Stand Firm app. Lots of resources there for you so that you can be an informed and engaged citizen. Our word for today comes from Ephesians chapter 4. There is one body and one spirit, just as you were called in one hope of your calling, one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of all, who is above all and through all and in all. Paul’s message centers on unity, not as an abstract ideal, but as the essential nature of the church. The Holy Spirit draws together believers of different backgrounds, personalities, and spiritual gifts into one body under one Lord. Now, this theme continues in verses 13 through 15, “…till we all come to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, that we should no longer be children tossed to and fro by every wind of doctrine, but speaking the truth in love may grow up in all things into him who is the head, Christ.” See, spiritual maturity is seen in unity. To grow in Christ is to walk in truth and love with one another, reflecting his character and bringing glory to God through a unified, steadfast faith. To find out more about our journey through the Bible, text Bible to 67742. That’s Bible to 67742. All right, as I promised at the top of the program, a few more thoughts on the election. You know, Tuesday’s election results were disappointing. But frankly, not surprising. They confirmed what we’ve witnessed for years, a nation divided and drifting further from truth. Now, although not a trusted source, even CNN reporting their reports acknowledge this. Quote, last November, Donald Trump won a return to the White House amid broad national dissatisfaction. This time, that same frustration fueled a sweep of Democratic victories, end quote. Elections are not just shifting back and forth, they are wild, eye-popping swings back and forth, revealing something much deeper than politics. America’s moral foundation is crumbling. Proverbs 28.2 says this, “…because of the transgression of a land, many are its princes.” The wild ideological and political swings we’ve seen intensifying over the last two decades reveal more than political instability or political differences. They reveal a moral and a spiritual identity crisis. The Bible makes it clear. This is not merely a political problem. It is a spiritual one. America must return to God. You ask, well, in what way? Well, in every way that we have deviated from his revealed truth. We were just talking about the issue of marriage. We were talking about the issue of life. And remember, America is not an abstraction. It is a collection of individuals. Each of us has a part to play in repentance and spiritual renewal. Now, Am I saying that we shouldn’t be involved politically? No, not at all. We must remain engaged, being salt and light in every sphere of influence. We must pray and we must continue to work to change the direction of our government at the state, local, and federal level so that we can live in peace and raise our children as the Bible instructs. But we must never forget our hope is not in elections, in politicians or political parties. As Christians, our hope is in the Lord. Hebrews 6.19 reminds us of this. It says, this hope we have as an anchor of the soul, both sure and steadfast, which enters the presence behind the veil. Now, I’ve been in the political realm for three decades, not because I sought it, but because that’s where the Lord called me. And I’d like to say that I’ve always been on the winning side, but that’s not true. I’ve lost many votes on policies that I’ve advanced, and I’ve lost a couple of elections. Faithfulness is not measured by victory margins. It’s measured by obedience, by consistently and persistently standing for what is right. John Quincy Adams understood this. He is the only U.S. president who, after serving in the White House, returned to Congress to serve nearly 20 more years. Now, his singular mission was to end slavery, and he was so relentless in that cause that in 1836, Congress adopted the gag rule, forbidding members even to mention slavery on the House floor. Still, he never relented. Adams’ motto became a timeless truth for every follower of Christ in public life. Duty is ours. Results belong to God. So, no matter the election results, keep your eyes fixed on what truly matters. Continue to pray, vote, and stand, no matter the outcome, for the glory of God. All right. Joining me now for more insight on what the results of yesterday’s election have to say is Mark Mitchell, head pollster at Rasmussen Reports. Mark, welcome back to Washington Watch. I’m sure you’ve been you had a late night last night and have been combing through the numbers. Let’s start in the race in New York City. Your takeaways from that.
SPEAKER 03 :
I’m not surprised by the outcome. The polling was actually pretty good in New York. This is what New Yorkers want. New York has a lot of foreign born voters. It’s got a lot of Democrats, very few Republicans. And nobody dropped out of the race. And the polling exactly said what happened, which is Mamdani is going to win. This is what they want. He’s a Democrat socialist. This is the new face of their party. And, you know. immediately coming out there and sort of changing his tone and cozying up to Alex Soros. And, you know, I don’t know where it’s going to go. My advice for the Trump administration, though, is like, don’t get involved in New York. Like, don’t make him a martyr. And maybe red states can start. Secretly cozying up the corporates and trying to poach their corporate headquarters. But, you know, I guess we’re going to see. Like what does New York let a Democrat socialist, probably Trojan horse communist, do in New York City?
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Does that stay contained to New York in the Democratic Party or does it spread?
SPEAKER 03 :
Oh, not at all. The idea of a Democrat socialist is very popular with voters under 40. It’s even pretty popular with Republicans under 40. They think the system has failed and they’re looking for strong, aggressive actions. They want a systemic change in the economy. Even the ones that are Trump supporters are really, really willing to see things like income caps and excess wealth distribution executed. And so I think that they gave Trump a chance, because it’s probably better than changing to a socialist economy, But unfortunately, right now, we don’t have a level of aggressive economic populism that I think these people are craving. And we’re going to see a youth uprising. And right now, the people with the most authentic answer for them is the Democrat Socialists. It’s going to be the face of the party. It’s going to be like the new Obama. And I think Republicans in their current state are hopelessly outclassed and have absolutely no answer for it.
SPEAKER 09 :
So let me ask you, I mean, this is kind of an economic question, Mark, but the infrastructure there in New York City, how long can it sustain these socialistic policies that Mamdani has been putting forward before the curtain is pulled back and people realize that this is not the way forward?
SPEAKER 03 :
I guess we’ll see. I think if the Democrats get in charge of the country nationally, we’ll probably see things. The Biden administration maybe looks like, you know, a kid show. I think New York, though, the question is, well, they have a city council. It’s probably got a lot of Democrat socialists on it. Are there going to be any governance or moderation or any kind of people pushing back on what he wants to do? Probably what’s in their best interest is to not rock the boat at all. And automatically you see people who are trying to get this guy out, like Bill Ackman, I think actually funded a lot of money trying to prevent him from winning, immediately sucking up to him. So I really have no idea where it’s going to go. But, yeah, it’s the trial balloon. We’re going to see what Democrat socialism in the new wave of the Democrat Party. The Bill Clinton pragmatic centrist is totally dead now. And we’ll have to see what Republicans become.
SPEAKER 09 :
Yeah, I think it’s good advice just to leave him alone and let him implode on his own so that he can’t become a political martyr. Let’s talk bigger picture, 30,000 feet. Well, actually, maybe more granular. How much did the local issues drive turnout and intensity in this election versus kind of the national anti-Trump?
SPEAKER 03 :
I think not at all. We polled New Jersey. And again, I had Jack losing by six, but it was over three weeks ago, like four weeks ago. It was the beginning of the government shutdown and Trump’s numbers hadn’t really imploded yet. And we didn’t see the Ouroboros of the right eating itself over the last two weeks. And so I think that I probably would have found him doing even worse. And so I think we did a pretty decent job in the internals, in the polling. What I saw was like basically what I would expect blue state, you know, suburban, liberal-ish kind of leaning people issue set. They care about rising prices. They – you know, property taxes are a really big thing in New Jersey. And yet they didn’t really trust the Republican Party on economic issues. And Jack Cittarelli did worse than Donald Trump did because we had a recall vote question in there. And so I think that they’re – don’t see a Republican solution to their problems. I think that they just think that that’s the way the national economy works. And if you look at the turnout picture, I think it tells you very clearly that the Democrats were inflamed and they turned out big. So if you compare Jack Cittarelli’s turnout to Trump’s turnout in 2024. Jack Chiarelli got less than 1.4 million votes, which is better than he did in 21, but it’s nowhere near the 2 million that Trump got. And Mikey Sherrill got like 90% of Kamala Harris votes. So we’re talking 90% to 70%. Basically, what it comes down to is the reason Trump did so well is because he picked up all these crossover Democrats, all these independents willing to give Trump a chance because they want major change. And those people, the independents, did not turn out. I think when we look at exit polling, we’re going to see the independents broke really hard towards Democrats. And they got all of their voters out. One of the reasons, I think, is because resist Trump, resist Trump, resist Trump. And I also I’m one of those people that thinks there’s probably something going on with the machines and going on with mail in ballots and stuff like that. So I think that’s some of it.
SPEAKER 09 :
But yeah, is part of it. And I mean, it sounds like the pendulum swung back. What would benefited Republicans in two years ago or a year ago now benefited Democrats dissatisfaction among voters?
SPEAKER 03 :
Well, I think that they are the high propensity party now. They have a very well honed get out the vote machine. They have iron fisted control over all of these sort of blue city voting centers. And the Republican parties in this state are kind of like clown shoe, like they’re just not really doing all the things that you need. I think New Jersey, again, I live in New Jersey, and it was closer, so I’m using that more than Virginia. Everybody thought that Scott Pressler was just going to save him here. And it’s like, okay, Jack Cittarelli ran a decent campaign, but he ran as a Republican. And so he didn’t get these independent voters that gave Trump a chance. Now, I hesitate to make it all about the national picture, but I have a lot of polling on the national picture. And independents in most of my polling in the fall last year went to Trump nationally. by a couple points. And then when he started his administration, and you know, that changes over time, but when he started his administration, we were seeing numbers of net approval among independents where he was like, you know, underwater a few points, like pretty decent. Well, what happened is those numbers sort of dropped steadily and then plunged back in July. And what happened in July, you know, three things happened right in a row. You had the United States getting involved in Iran. Then you had the one big, beautiful bill, which we did not stick the landing. I’ll tell you that right now. And then you had this Epstein thing. And all of a sudden, independent approval of Trump is negative 20. Now, it recovered a little bit. And then it plunged about a week and a half ago. Same kind of thing. Trump’s overseas. The government shut down. The Republicans don’t have an answer. Everybody’s wondering, like, what’s going on? Is there going to be any action? And his numbers got down to negative 27 among independents. That was basically Election Day. And so the national picture for Jack Cittarelli was Trump made independents mad nationally. And then also independents didn’t turn out for Jack Cittarelli. Same thing in Virginia. You know, I think it’s the same picture. She underperformed the polls, win some Sears. And I think we’re going to see it’s because independence didn’t turn out. And so Republicans don’t have a game. They don’t have a strategy. They don’t have a message. Their message is hitch a wagon to Donald Trump. And time and time and time again, they do not convert Donald Trump voters. If they’re going to want to try, I think that they’re going to have to take sort of the centralized strategic approach. They’re probably going to have to funnel new donor money into things that’s like not buying influence, into actually building some kind of national infrastructure that operates very differently than the establishment Republican infrastructure. I don’t even know what it looks like, but I would be the person polling for that kind of organization and telling them how not to lose on things like abortion, Christianity, economics. You just talked about Christianity worldview. They are failing hard, and there is nobody on the right, which is supposed to be the party of Christian values, that really cares about this thing. We just got a poll back yesterday. Christian ID is less than 60% for the first time in all of our polling history in the U.S. So what’s being done about that? Pretty much nothing. And they’re also getting their butts kicked on abortion. Nobody’s come to me to understand the polling. And it’s like, yeah, if you frame it as pro-choice, pro-life, you’re going to lose with pro-life. But if you go after the abortions in the six to nine month period, have a couple of carve outs in there, that’s an easy win. There’s only about 25 percent of the population that wants late term abortion. So again, when you look at these states, you look at these bluish areas, the Republican Party has no plan. They basically run whoever pulls the short straw. I’m talking about places like Minnesota, Colorado. They’re going to run a traditional Republican even though Republicans in those states are craving a MAGA-type candidate. And then I poll for a MAGA-type candidate in those states. They can’t get any money from the RNC. RNC is not going to spend money on them. Trump administration is not going to give them an endorsement because they’re going to lose. So you take these states and it’s basically, you know, it’s dropped in Jack’s lap. He got, I guess, a little bit of help from the RNC, maybe late August, finally. But he’s running his own campaign on his own platform. Absolutely no help. Absolutely no turnout. Absolutely no money being laundered from foreign governments through ActBlue just dropped in their lap, you know, into some machine that’s been honed and perfected through the Action Network and all these other Arabella and whatever. Republicans don’t have that. And they’re going to keep losing until they get it and also have a message that can fuel that system.
SPEAKER 09 :
So basically, they’ve got to have something more than Donald Trump.
SPEAKER 03 :
Yep, 100%. And he’s going to lose political capital soon. And you’re already seeing, I think, over this issue of Israel, a very ugly blow up between young conservatives and old conservatives. And the old conservatives don’t want to change. And the young conservatives don’t want to hear values preached at them that haven’t worked for them. And so somebody really gracefully needs to thread that needle. I think we’ve seen some of it out of J.D. Vance, but it has to be internalized in these organizations in a way that MAGA really was not. Like MAGA did not change the RNC. It didn’t change the National Republican infrastructure. It didn’t really change any of the think tanks. Finally got a toehold in the Heritage Foundation, and they’re going for that guy’s scalp. So what are they doing?
SPEAKER 09 :
Mark, we’re going to have to leave it there for a conversation another day. A lot to talk about between now and next year’s midterm election. Thanks so much for joining us. All right, folks, we’re out of time for today, but you’ve got enough to pray about. We’ve got a lot to pray about to make a way forward for our nation. I want to thank you for joining us, and I want to thank you for praying, for voting, and for standing for truth. Until next time, I leave you with the encouraging words, once again, of the Apostle Paul, who says, when you’ve done everything you can do, when you’ve prayed, when you’ve prepared, and when you’ve taken your stand, by all means, keep standing up.
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Washington Watch with Tony Perkins is brought to you by Family Research Council. To support our efforts to advance faith, family, and freedom, please text GIVE to 67742. That’s GIVE to 67742. Portions of the show discussing candidates are brought to you by Family Research Council Action. For more information, please visit TonyPerkins.com.
