Renee Ellmers Lends Her Voice to Broader Conservative Opposition of Anti-LGBT Legislation

According to the Raleigh News and Observer, "Ellmers, a conservative Republican, was asked her opinion on the Defense of Marriage amendment during an appearance last week at Campbell University, and her answer might have surprised some listeners. Dome heard about Ellmers' remarks and asked her office for clarification. Her spokesman, Tom Doheny, confirmed that she planned to vote against the constitutional ban that was adopted by the legislature in September because it is too broadly drawn."

Doheny told the paper "As a voter, she would vote against a piece of legislation that would add a ban on civil unions to the protection of marriage since they are two different issues and should be dealt with separately."

Ellmers' opposition to the anti-LGBT amendment was immediately praised by Log Cabin Republicans, a Republican organization dedicated to representing the interests of gay and lesbian Americans and their allies. In a statement, Log Cabin Republicans Executive Director R. Clarke Cooper said:

"Representative Renee Ellmers is speaking for many North Carolina Republicans when she says that you don't have to support marriage equality to know this constitutional amendment is wrong."  Cooper added, "Log Cabin Republicans hope North Carolina conservatives will follow Representative Ellmers's lead and vote no in May 2012. From major businesses and employers to local churches, opposition to this amendment is rising across the state. It is one thing to disagree about marriage, but banning all recognition of gay and lesbian families crosses the line for many North Carolinians who want to see their gay neighbors, friends and family members treated with respect and dignity. The proposed constitutional amendment is an unnecessary and overreaching incursion on North Carolina families, and with the opposition of conservatives like Rep. Ellmers, it will fail."

Ellmers opposition to the anti-LGBT amendment came the same week as an interview with country music star and conservative icon, Toby Keith, who told a reporter that he finds same-sex marriage bans to be costly wastes of time. According to The Huffington Post, in an interview with the CMT Insider, the "Courtesy of the Red, White and Blue" singer whose nationalistic songwriting have made him a favorite among Republicans, says "he doesn't see the reason behind getting into people's personal lives. He says refusing a marriage license to people because they are gay won't stop them from living together, so it accomplishes nothing."

Keith told CMT, "First of all, we’re going to stop somebody from getting a marriage license because they’re gay? You won’t stop them from living together, so what have you accomplished? … Wasting a lot of money here and a lot of time that could be spent working on this deficit that we’re under … I never saw the reasoning behind getting in people’s personal lives."

In the same interview, Keith also applauded the recent repeal of "don't ask, don't tell," or DADT, a policy that banned gays and lesbians from serving openly in uniform. He says that anyone with the training and passion should have the right to defend the country, adding: "Somebody's sexual preference is, like, who cares?"

Similar sentiments were echoed in the bipartisan legislative effort to repeal DADT, including support by North Carolina's Republican Senator Richard Burr, who, in a surprising about-face, joined with fellow Senator Kay Hagan (D-NC) in voting for the repeal. Sen. Burr became one of eight Republicans to stand with Democrats in backing the DADT repeal, explaining "Given the generational transition that has taken place in our nation, I feel that this policy is outdated and repeal is inevitable." Burr added, "[M]y conclusion is that repealing Don't Ask Don't Tell is the right thing to do." With a single vote, Burr joined a bipartisan effort to pave the way for LGBT soldiers in his home state, and beyond, to serve their country openly, and, as the senior Republican legislator representing North Carolina, helped set the stage for other conservative politicians like Ellmers, and state voters alike, to take similar, bipartisan stands against anti-LGBT legislation. 

These political positions against anti-LGBT correspond with constituent opposition to this type of discriminatory legislation. An Elon University poll released last week revealed a majority (56%) of North Carolina residents oppose a proposed amendment to the state constitution that would ban same-sex marriages. The poll also showed a strong majority (62%) of North Carolinians support marriage or civil unions for same-sex couples, revealing a dramatic 9% increase in public support for marriage equality in only two years. Perhaps most striking is that support for full marriage rights increased by 5% since February, marking a whopping 12 percentage-point increase in support since 2009.

"Now more than ever, it's clear that the fight against the anti-LGBT amendment transcends party lines and political affiliations," said Alex Miller, Equality NC's interim executive director. "From the national stage to the local level, we're seeing North Carolinians opposing this misguided and miscalculated effort to make some North Carolinians into second-class citizens. We applaud those who stand on the side of Equality and are working tirelessly to keep our state on the right side of history."

LEARN MORE ABOUT THE ANTI-LGBT CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENT ON THE BALLOT ON MAY 2012.