WASHINGTON – A report by Buzzfeed found that just nine minutes after declaring a disaster area in 66 counties, Gov. Pat McCrory campaigned in support of HB2 with anti-LGBTQ leaders, including one that leads an organization that the Southern Poverty Law Center considers a “hate group.” At the event, McCrory played the victim by bemoaning the fact that he is being “shunned” for staking his re-election bid on an anti-LGBTQ agenda.
In response to the Buzzfeed report, the Human Rights Campaign (HRC) and Equality North Carolina released the following statement:
“It’s a sign of his misplaced priorities that Gov. McCrory would rather campaign for HB2 while lives in North Carolina were at risk from Hurricane Matthew,” said HRC Senior Vice President of Policy and Political Affairs JoDee Winterhof. “Tonight, Governor McCrory should explain to the people of North Carolina why he was campaigning with a hate group instead of focusing on storm preparedness. This is just the latest example of McCrory putting himself first, playing the victim while real people were suffering. North Carolina needs a leader who will stand up for fairness and equality, and that leader is Roy Cooper.”
“Pat McCrory has failed the people of North Carolina time and again,” said Equality NC Executive Director Chris Sgro. “He and he alone signed the most anti-LGBT bill in the entire nation into law, and he is responsible for the millions of dollars in economic loss we are suffering. His handling of HB2 shows him unfit to be Governor. On the other hand, we have a thoughtful candidate who embodies North Carolina values – common sense, fairness, and a commitment to building our state. That candidate is Roy Cooper. I am certain that this difference will be on display at tonight’s debate, and I know that North Carolinians will stand with Roy Cooper on November 8th, because he stands with us.”
HRC and Equality North Carolina have endorsed pro-equality candidates up and down the ticket this year in North Carolina, including Roy Cooper for governor and candidates for the General Assembly.
The LGBTQ vote has the power to impact elections up and down the ticket in North Carolina. An estimated 331,000 LGBTQ adults of voting age live in the state – a substantial population given that the state was won in the last three presidential elections by an average margin of 180,500 votes.
