Gay Republican explains why he’s voting for Governor who passed anti-LGBT law
An openly gay Republican has come out in support of North Carolina Governor Pat McCrory – despite the Governor signing anti-LGBT law HB 2.
North Carolina has lost a string of big investment ventures over Republican Governor Pat McCrory’s decision to sign the contentious HB 2 – which voided all local ordinances protecting LGBT rights, banned transgender people from using their preferred bathroom, and permits businesses to discriminate against LGBT people on the grounds of religious belief.
The state has been plunged into crisis over the law, and McCrory is struggling to stay afloat in an election battle with Democrat Roy Cooper, a strong ally of LGBT rights who has pledged to repeal HB 2.
His supporters have gone all-out in a bid to see off Cooper – with one shocking ad in support of McCrory depicting the fictional rape of a little girl and blaming it on LGBT rights.
However, Dan Gurley – a gay Republican who serves on the State Ports Authority – is sticking by the Governor despite the anti-LGBT law.
In a column for the North State Journal, Mr Gurley insists that he disagrees with the Governor’s decision to sign HB 2 – but attempts to shift blame to the Democrats, claiming that “Charlotte City Council sparked the whole mess” by adopting an LGBT anti-discrimination ordinance.
He goes on to blame McCrory’s opponent Roy Cooper, claiming he blocked a “compromise” on the issue and accusing him of “building a gubernatorial campaign around HB 2 because, frankly, he had nothing else on which to build one”.
He insists: “Hanging the blame on Governor McCrory alone is patently unfair – there’s plenty to share.”
In the article, Mr Gurley eventually admits that he just sees other issues as more important.
He says: “There are other reasons, of course, why I support the re-election of McCrory.
“The fiscal health of our state, the explosion of economic growth and job creation since he took office, and the reforms and de-politicisation of state government (think of the Strategic Transportation Initiative, for instance) after decades of Democratic manipulation and skulduggery are all accomplishments of which we can be proud. [Pat is] my governor, and I stand with him with pride.”
