Fox News "The Story" - Transcript: Interview with Reps. Ann Wagner and Elise Stefanik

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MACCALLUM: Republican Congressman Kevin McCarthy responding to reports that women in the party are being overlooked for leadership roles. Some of them are upset about the party's lack of influence among female voters and don't think that enough is being done to fix the issue.

So, joining me now, two of those women. Congresswoman Elise Stefanik and of New York, and Ann Wagner of Missouri. So, Ann, let me start with you. Did he discourage you from running for the leadership position?

REP. ANN WAGNER, R-MO.: I was very honored to have the support and encouragement of a number of my colleagues to pursue the NRCC chairmanship. I had just won a tufts suburban district in a difficult year with big headwinds. That Missouri had a big U.S. Senate race. And Claire McCaskill won my district.

I've got the recipe in terms of what, how do you reach these voters based on your record. I talked to them about veterans' issues, about human trafficking, about family savings accounts. Issues that our kitchen table, that are important to them.

I was encouraged by many of our colleagues, I did have a conversation with the leader, he had a different plan, and I respect that, and I decided, you know well, I'm not going to put my name and nomination, I want to be a part of the team. I want to make sure we are a majority.

And I'm just going to put my efforts and my leadership skills elsewhere, which in dealing with the suburban caucus issue and the suburban agenda which is going to be so important going forward.

MACCALLUM: And you are going to help because suburban women is really one of the biggest gaps, one of the biggest problems that your party had in the midterm. What are you going to do to try to fix that, Elise?

REP. ELISE STEFANIK, R-N.Y.: Well, I'm focusing on recruiting more women. So, I was proud to support Ann and encourage her to run for an NRCC chair. But I think what we know is we need to roll up our sleeves and be part of the solution.

I was the first woman to chair recruitment for the National Republican Congressional Committee. We successfully recruited over 100 women but we found that many of those women couldn't get through the primaries. And these were some of the seats that we lost in the general election. I am committed to playing in Congress.

(CROSSTALK)

MACCALLUM: Why couldn't they get through?

STEFANIK: It was something that I experienced. I often think it's hard for Republican women to get through primaries, to raise the money that they need. We need to have equal opportunity when it comes to access to donors and getting support from our colleagues.

So, I've been very pleased with the support that I have received from people like Ann Wagner, but also from people like Steve Scalise, who is the first member of leadership to call me and say, I want to support this effort and ensure that we can increase our numbers. Because as you know, Martha, we are at a crisis level. We have 13 women in the Republican conference.

(CROSSTALK)

MACCALLUM: You went from 23 to 13 and Republicans. And the Democrats went from like something 60 something to 80, 89, I think. Ann, so, do the guys in your party not get it? Did they not get what the problem is?

WAGNER: They need to get it or we won't have the majority again. We have to. I get it. Elise gets it, a number of them do. And they are supportive of our efforts to renew and reinvigorate the suburban caucus, which has been dead in the Republican Party and the Congress for 10 years. Is what my focus is going to be.

We have to get back to those kitchen table issues, things that are important that make the lives of families easier, better. Things like a paid family leave, workplace flexibility. Things like making sure that in healthcare that pre-existing conditions are in fact codified and protected.

There can be things from infrastructure to transportation, workforce flexibility, so many issues. That it's not just suburban women that we underperformed with, Martha. We underperformed with suburban men and with suburban independents.

So, if we are going to be a majority party which I know we can be again, I know we can get these voters back. We have to have an agenda which starts with our suburban caucus and put that forward so that we've got something to run on and something to offer to the American public.

MACCALLUM: Half a minute. What do you think about Nancy Pelosi, do you think -- and do you think the government is going to shut down?

STEFANIK: Well, I don't support a government shutdown. Our job is to do the people's work. I do think Nancy Pelosi is struggling to get the votes she needs for speaker. I think it clearly shows that there is a generational shift happening on the Democratic side, I think this new pledge that she has been forced to take regarding term limit shows that she is going into the speakership as a fairly weak speaker, if she can even get the votes.

But in terms of our work that needs to be done, we just past the farm bill today and I am confident we will come to a deal and avoid a government shutdown, and we are part of the common-sense voices to ensure that we are doing our business in Congress.

WAGNER: While still making sure that we secure the border.

STEFANIK: Absolutely.

WAGNER: We have -- our safety and security in that of our families and our districts is important. It's an important issue in my district and I will tell you, we have got to do something about border security. So, hopefully, we will get those done.

MACCALLUM: Congresswomen, thank you. Good to see both of you. Thanks for being here tonight. So, coming up, the next part of my interview with -- coming up tomorrow, actually, is a Democratic congresswoman that I sat down with today. Five of them, and you'll hear their story tomorrow. And then tonight, coming up, part two of my sit down interview with Congressman Trey Gowdy as he prepares to leave D.C.

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