general of the army. he served at valley forge. you was a -- he was a leading figure in the virginia house of delegates, and probably the indispensable man in the ratification debates, because he was the guy that really persuaded the majority of virginian delegates were going along with ratification of the constitution. without virginia, there would not have been a constitution. he was an important diplomat individuation with france, and secretary of state. and all those other contributions as founding are not remember because of his decision in marbury v. madison. >> sunday night. three weeks to election day. we go to kansas city missouri to --pagitt.doug packet

he is also a pastor, a radio host and more. tell us about common good. how did he get started and what is your focus in terms of this election year? guest: vote common good is an effort to invite religiously minded people and specifically evangelicals to consider the common good when they vote rather than for many what is person andctive republican impulse. us where to a lot of the republican party is now in its commitment to the trump agenda is not fit america and does not fit for the driving force of our christian faith. we are traveling the country, inviting people to flip congress because we believe the trump administration is to be restraint and their is a role for congress to put blocks in

front of the agenda in this administration. we think evangelical christians should be part of that. yourss about this tour of -- host: tell us about this tour of yours. what is your message? are you dealing with specific races? we are traveling the country and 31 cities around the country, starting in pennsylvania. now we are in kansas and moving down to wichita and then we will be in texas and out to california. all the districts we are going to have an incumbent republican in that seat. we want to introduce the voters to an agenda we think would help to restrain the tom price -- presidency. as a christian, my commitment is not to be a democrat. it is to love god, love my neighbor. the conditions on the ground

colors to put that faith in action because as christians are famous for saying, faith without works is useless so the work we have to do is make sure public policy represents, good for all. we are not saying become a democrat. we are saying restrain a trump administration that would become to both separating families at the border, damaging our economy and environment. butre not a partisan group we're asking congress. not onhe president is the ballot but his policies may be. in 2016, the president one evangelicals so -- what is your pitch to evangelicals who voted for president trump in 2016 and, what do you say to them? guest: every election has its own set of conditions. in 2016, voters the likelihood a

binary choice between trump and clinton and a lot picked donald trump. we are asking them not to live in 2016. we are asking them to live in 2018. they have a choice to make. if they support this trump agenda, for a lot they could not go as far as voting for hillary clinton. a lot feel like there is no way they can continue to support this presidency and a complicit congress that would be just as happy to separate families at the border in order to send a message to refugees to not come to the united states. we're asking them to pay 2008.ion to conditions of host: how is your organization vote for common good funded? guest: vote common good is funded by private donations. families have contributed. we are traveling in a caravan we bring from town to town and we

have a mobile stage and set up in parks and church parking lots and on street corners. we run these events. we travel with top-notch misses since -- musicians. we invite candidates that would be supportive of common good and was traitsd putting become administration to join us. in all our events there are music -- is music. we want christians who are about common good to be able to have a public voice and to say out loud things they are often saying in private, just something we hear all the time. we hear it from republican lawmakers that their own personal belief and we hear this from voters -- their personal belief is they need to do something to restrain the trump administration and change this agenda in this country. they get quiet when the call comes out to say that publicly. one thing we are trying to do is turn up the volume and give people a sense of community they

can be a part of as they do their civic duty and for many, driven by their faith commitments. host: we want to open up the conversation. here are the numbers. 202-748-8000 -- republicans. 202-748-8001 democrats. independents: 202-748-8002 we welcome your comments on twitter as well as c-span wj and we'll get to those thoughts in a moment. -- you mentioned the hillary clinton race. critical read you, a measure of the role of religion in our elector politics is the behavior voters that attend religious services once a week. tomost elections from 2000

2014, these voters chose republican over democrats by margins of roughly 20 percentage points. in 2016, this gap narrowed to 14 points. it dropped six of percent in 2016. you pointed out you thought evangelicals tell you they could not vote for hillary clinton last time but they are saying this time they can vote for democratic candidates. they are. we hear it everywhere. people are saying, i did not have any idea how that this would be. it feels like a national emergency to many. i mentioned the idea of separating families. for christians who hold to a teaching that which god has brought together, no man should ever separate that is often set at weddings. the trump administration, to reconnect to a policy of threatening to separate families

and putting kids in detention a matter of policy is something that a lot of evangelicals and people of good conscience they cannot support. there is not only a sense of cruelty that does not fit with evangelical sensibilities, but --icies that are initiated initiated by this administration and supported by a republican congress are far outside the bounds of what evangelicals would ever tell their own children. we are finding with many voters they didlking to that not imagine the trump administration would actually do the things it is doing. if you like it is their obligation to leave a legacy for their children and they need to stand up to this administration. guest: we have calls -- host: we have calls waiting period joining us from missouri, we hear from gary on our

republican mine. caller: do not get me wrong. ado not think donald trump is carnival or nothing but he talked about separating people at the borders. what about separating babies in the womb? does that mean anything? guest: there is a lot of energy around the issue of abortion certainly. the trump administration did what it chose to do by nominating supreme court justice they think is going to change that law. footing for a democratic candidate for congress is not a commitment to supporting abortion. there is no connection between those. there are many pro-life democratic candidates. they exist and are on ballots all over the country. this conflating of abortion and somehow people believing their personal vote is their personal support for abortion is not accurate and i do not think it needs to drive the agenda.

the religious community has been divided since 1972 and before. ofis not a litmus test people when they walk into the book -- voting booth. i take the issue seriously. we know it is the dividing point. there are different views on this but we are not asking for people to change their views on abortion when they place their vote on november 6. what we are asking is to read the sermon on the mount at church on sunday and but that inform your vote tuesday. i do not think many voters with the republican agenda on november 6 matches what they heard and the church on november 4. host: let's hear from john on our democrat line. caller: i want to commend you for what you're doing. i thought for a long time that you were the other way but i can see you are getting out and you

got the message and you are conveying the message to everybody and i commend you. thank you. guest: thank you. host: how long have you been out on tour? what is the biggest issue you are hearing about from potential voters? we started october 2 and are going to run through november 6. it has been a long road already and we are looking forward to stops in front of us. we hear two things. i think you have heard it in both of these colors. the question of abortion is significant for many who continue to support the trump administration. the other is what we heard from john and that is people saying thank you for getting out and saying this. they know there is this silenced group of progressively minded christian people were not raising their voices. that is part of the reason we are on the store.

whether or not trying to convince republicans they should not support him from -- donald trump, we believe if you watch the administration. there is nothing we are going to do and our messaging or events that are going to convince you. the trump administration is making our argument for us. what we are trying to do is encourage people they are not alone they do not have to set their christian faith aside when they want to oppose this administration that is doing harm. one tweet this. are full of hate. why would they support drop? this was as i am an evangelical and i believe in complete operation of church and state. my beliefs have no place in our government. i am a liberal democrat but we exist. who cares what christians are evangelicals believe

politically? i believe the separation of church and state. keep their prayers and political philosophy to themselves. why do you see the influence of forgelicals, even -- either republican or democratic candidates as being important in this election? we are not asking for a block of voters to make the country's agenda. we are asking for each individual to be moved by but -- by whatever moves them. for evangelicals, they should not bring their agenda to their faith to their politics. they should bring the agenda of their faith to their own voting criteria. we are asking for people to be informed and to make thatinforme from what they are committed to in their hearts to their ballots. i appreciate those comments. what we do not want is some kind of the accuracy.

-- the accuracy. they seem to want to conflate support with the trump administration and for this congress as support for the agenda of gods. what we are trying to say is your christian faith informs you as a voter. or informs you as a person and we want you to become a voter. our agenda is not to inflict the rest of the country with the christian agenda. it is to affect voters with a net tax that would be meaningful for them when they vote. host: let's hear from the democrat line. caller: good morning. two difficulties i have are watching the democrats go crazy .ith their agenda the viciousness and attacks on the republicans is not religious. i want the republicans and independents to keep in mind

kerry and obama went to syria prior to all this. i want people to be alert. i think they had something to do with all this going on now so please keep alert. how in california on our republican line. you are on. caller: i was a democrat for 42 paying 2000w i am -- dollars a month. we are going broke. i do not support the sanctuary cities. borders, would you want people to come to the border and we let them in? --that is happening what is is happening with california, we are a mess. it is a great question about borders. common good is not a shield for the democratic party.

what we're doing is motivate voters to engage in their faith. i will say this country has long had a commitment, sometimes driven by the religious understanding we should care for the least of these everywhere in the world. we have thegesting answer to every question about the borders. what i am saying is you know what cruelty is and what it looks like and taking families that are seeking refuge and separating them from their children in order to send a message -- i want to be clear. that is what the trump of thetration's purpose separation of families is about. it is to send a message should -- so they are separating young children from their parents in order to punish. other people will not seek refuge. these are refugees. these are people coming, asking to receive the designation of

being a refugee. the idea someone would say, if we do not punish children and emily's we are going to have "are to be frank? not think that is understanding the issue of what is going on with immigration. , more than 80%tt of voters in 2016 voted for president trump. what do you think has changed in that group that would have them vote democratic in 2018? were heartened by the 20% who did not. it brought this statistic that came from a religious service. they found people who self identify as evangelical, 80% of those people voted for trump but when u.s. the question that if you attended a regular church service, the more often evangelicals attended church services or were engaged in

communities of faith, the number -- percentage of support for donald trump goes down. i am heartened by that. in fact, people who are in christian communities where they are meeting in church services are groups, they are not supporting trump at the same level but there are people who say they are religiously motivated and often those people support donald trump at a higher level. i think there is something going on where the self identification of people who are claiming a christian narrative supports donald trump higher than his practice of attending church do. we are hopeful that people in christian communities, if they are listening to one another, if they are engaging in issues of faith and civic life, that they are beginning to see you can have a christian faith. your christian faith calls you care for the least of these.

you cannot simply go on supporting the trump administration and a republican congress. the a traveling with republicans , independents, people who do not vote regularly. it brought all of us together. this presidency is to be restraint and the founders .nticipated the remedy was a congress who would storm up to this presidency. this is us utilizing the system below representation to bring about restraints we think there needs to be on a trump administration. host: you mentioned the common good tour on its way to texas, reporting on the senate -- senate race there. that overworked may benefit from an unlikely support group like even jellico women. after church on a recent sunday, emily mooney smiled as he -- she told her girlfriends about her

public act of rebellion. she had given it to her family evangelical church. conservative bible belt texas, she spotted the sign of support, endorsing acker democrat challenging ted cruz. what are you hearing about the role of evangelical women in these tidier -- tighter races? people have known for years women are always the driving force in these churches. even when churches do not recognize leaders yet, women have been the leaders of these churches and many republican women are so newly enraged about what is going on with the trump administration and complicit congress that they are willing to change their long-held political party affiliations to do something about it. this is a crisis of faith for many and the leadership is primarily coming from

evangelical women who are not saying this has to stop. their behavior of the trump administration, the constant lies. it is hard for this woman to go over there church and here the idea that the truth will set you free what the trumpet ministration is lying and exaggerating. evangelical women are the voting block we think is going to make a difference, not only in that senate race in texas but across the country. remind ournt to viewers we will be covering that debate between ted cruz. on our republican line, kathleen. good morning. caller: good morning. i disagree heartily with this pastor. the only thing he seems to be talking about is the separation of families. what about when somebody in this country is convicted and they

are separated. how many are really family? they have not taken the children. i heard talking say to them, all of you folks who are violently opposed to these people coming in and being separated, how many of you will take one family and your home, support them, pay their food spills pay their medical bills. why do you think it is to our right people come in illegally and, by the way i am an american by choice. why do you think? host: we will get a response. guest: thank you. bordermeone comes to the seeking refugee status, that is not coming into the country illegally. if you know what is happening on

the border, the trumpet ministration is taking families who were seeking refugee status going to the border. they are not speaking across. they are going to the border and there they are being separated. i know it can feel complicated between people who are coming across the border four day work versus families that are coming with mothers and fathers and children. and seeking refugee status from places in central america. the evangelical church community does work. i appreciate you bringing it up because that is great work organizations do supporting refugees. they support them financially. they help them find work. that is something the christian communities have done with refugees for decades. it is the work they do. i know you were trying to suggest if people like me want to support refugees, we should support them and we do.

they are international refugee committees and all the religious traditions we care for refugees, we would rather see enter this country and then supported. i appreciate the fact you are saying we are only talking about refugees but there is something the christian story for jesus as a refugee, as a child that connects with a lot of christians. they understand the idea that a government with -- would want to separate children from their parents. that is the christmas story. life the story of jesus' so those of us who root ourselves in that christian story sun connection to the idea young children would be pursued by the government to be separated from family. on twitter, reaction to c-span wj. evangelicals lost that ability with gw bush and and being a christian conservative, my

division started and what to use them. says democrats will be curious on november 7. mary says there are other christians in the world. does christian, what evangelical does evangelical mean? does it mean liberty university or temple university? >> many people have never heard the phrase progressive evangelical. they have only heard evangelicals representing a conservative and often fundamentalist extremist view of christianity. hundredsand there are around the country. people come from nondenominational free church evangelical backgrounds for whom our faith and believe in the teachings and following the ways of jesus cause us to live in progressive ways and causes us to think about the environment.

it is a lot to think about health care and how we care for one another, to be -- to think about employees and fair wages. jesus is one whose as we visit people in present. when you care for the least of these, you have cared for me. that agenda we should care for one another, what jesus would call the kingdom of god's many of us use the phrase the common good. ofmon good expressions religious life is alive and well amongst those who are christians and evangelicals. many people who are in evangelical churches are far more compassionate and progressive than the pastors who be those churches. as a pastor, i recognize the fact that people in my industry from my community have often come across as the people mentioning as tolerant, mean,

restrictive and close minded. that is not true for everyone. part of the reason people do not know we exist is we have cupped ourselves quiet and common good is to travel this country and invite the religious community to live up to his faith not only in this election putting going forward. we are asking people to let the light shine before all people. host: let's get one more call. this is our independent line. caller: it is sophia. -- are you aware these families are trying to smuggle in drugs? we are not just separating that. there are policies and procedures one must go to to become a u.s. citizen. they do not have to come illegally. do you have any common sense the way the world works nowadays, people just -- i do not understand. democrats hassk,

the party itself been supportive? ofst: many people are leery 90 people for good reasons. they have only ever heard the expression of faith. and evangelicals, that has been contrary. we are having to make clear to them that we do exist and we are people that want to support the common good. if we need to travel the country and six or 15 years in order to remind people to dislodge control of congress from democrats because they do not care for the common good, we are willing to do that. we are not just being democrats we recognize there is a national emergency and crisis that is going on with this trump administration. if we find a democratically controlled congress that is not pursuing the common good, i will be the first to be in a box and

travel in the country asking people to pursue the common good because that is what our faith calls us to. care for all people in all situations and not find our allegiance to one political party. good for themmon >> "washington journal" continues. host: we're joined by tony perkins, president of the family research council to talk about religion and 2018. we want to start by asking about the past weekend and your involvement in the release of pastor brunson from turkey. how were you involved? guest: good to see you again. i was there in my role as a commissioner on the u.s. commission on international religious freedom. i was asked