Campaign 2012

Concerned Women for America's bus tour stops at capitol

Posted: Aug 14, 2012 9:42 PM by Marnee Banks (marnee@kxlh.com)

A group of conservative, Christian women are touring the nation to say their vote counts. On Tuesday, they stopped their bus at the capitol in Helena.

"She's conservative. She's confident. She's Christian," their bus reads.

But Concerned Women for America (CWA) President Penny Young Nance says she needs these women to start voting.

"So what we're trying to do is reach out to women of faith and making sure that they allow their voices to be heard," Nance says.

CWA reports only half of the Christian women in America will turn out to vote, and she says that's not enough.

"You have heard a lot about the 'War on Women,' right? Actually it's a war for women. Women have carried every Presidential election since 1964. We are the biggest voting block and candidates can't win without us," Young Nance says.

Women from the other end of the political spectrum also showed up at the capitol on Tuesday. They agree that female voters are critical this election, but they say conservative politicians aren't standing up for them.

"I think Concerned Women for America is out of touch with real people's lives and how they are planning their lives in this economy," Stacey Anderson from the Planned Parenthood Advocates of Montana says. "They are really out of touch with what people expect from their health care and how they plan for their families."

Anderson says issues like access to birth control and preventative health screenings are important election issues voters should keep in mind as they cast their ballot.

"We want to make sure that we are visible, paying attention and that folks who vote on our issues and who care about women's health, and care about women's reproductive health are paying attention and will be voting on November 6th," Anderson says.

The Concerned Women for America bus is stopping in four states on its tour: Montana, North Dakota, Virginia, and North Carolina. Three of these states have critical swing U.S. Senate races.