North Carolina Newspaper Cites Anti-Gay Law In Refusing To Endorse Pat McCrory
- By
- Carlos Santoscoy
- | October 16, 2016
A North Carolina newspaper has broken its 25-year record of endorsing Governor Pat McCrory.
The Charlotte Observer on Friday cited McCrory's decision to sign House Bill 2 in declining to endorse his re-election bid.
House Bill 2 is the controversial bill signed by McCrory in March. It blocks cities and municipalities from approving ordinances that prohibit discrimination against the LGBT community and is the first state law to prohibit transgender people from using the bathroom of their choice.
Passage of the bill led to a backlash from business leaders, with some companies reducing investments in North Carolina. Several high-profile sporting events – including next year's All-Star Game – were moved to other states.
“McCrory adamantly defends the discriminatory measure and dismisses the NCAA, the ACC, scores of business executives and others who have condemned the legislation,” the paper wrote. “It was a hateful and self-defeating bill, and it will be McCrory's legacy.”
The paper instead backed McCrory's Democratic opponent, ending a 25-year record of endorsing McCrory for various offices throughout his political career, including six years on the Charlotte City Council and 14 years as Charlotte's mayor.
“[V]oters have a superior option in Democrat Roy Cooper,” editors wrote. “Cooper has the experience, the intelligence and the policy stances needed to return the state to its stature as a progressive leader in the South.”
Cooper, the state's current attorney general, has opposed House Bill 2 from the start.