2006 Elections Move LGBT Community Forward in North Carolina

The dramatically increased power and effectiveness of Equality NC PAC played a role in several key victories. The PAC invested more than $56,000 in pro-equality candidates, nearly tripling the group's 2004 expenditures.

Highlights

• North Carolina's only openly gay legislator, Sen. Julia Boseman (D-New Hanover), not only won re-election to a second term, but defeated her Republican Challenger, Al Roseman, by a 25-point margin. This victory in a district with strong Republican leanings sends a clear signal that North Carolinians can and will look beyond a candidate's sexual orientation to support the best leader for their district.
• Rising star Ty Harrell defeated anti-gay crusader and longtime incumbent Rep. Russell Capps (R-Wake). The voters of this moderate, suburban district said "no" to more of Capps' right-wing ideology.
• Our strong legislative ally Rep. Rick Glazier (D-Cumberland) defeated former legislator Alex Warner in a tight race. Warner's record of opposing basic legal protections for LGBT employees made this race a priority for the PAC.
• Former Carrboro Mayor and Equality NC Board Chair Mike Nelson handily won election to the Orange County Board of Commissioners. He is one of a handful of openly gay elected officials in the state.
• Pro-equality candidate Lorrin Freeman defeated anti-LGBT incumbent Janet Pueschel for Wake County Clerk of Court. Equality NC PAC was active in this local race due to Pueschel's record of active discrimination against same-sex families who needed the Clerk's services, including handling adoption cases.

Other Races

Equaltiy NC PAC endorsed and supported 20 legislative candidates in contested races, and secured wins in at least 17 of them. We are saddened by the defeat of two strong challengers, Ed Ridpath and Greer Beaty of Wake County. Both ran admirable campaigns against staunchly anti-equality incumbents, but were not able to secure victory in their conservative districts. House Speaker Jim Black's race is headed to a recount; Black lead with just 7 votes with the provisional ballots still uncounted. The PAC also endorsed 22 incumbents in uncontested races, who sailed to victory without opposition.

A complete list of results for our endorsed candidates is available on our PAC endorsements page.

National Context

Voter support for equal marriage rights showed significant gains at the polls compared to the strong opposition seen in 2004. Arizona became the first state to defeat an anti-LGBT, anti-marriage constitutional amendment on ballot, and four other states garnered more than 40% opposition. That's a big change from two years ago, when many states passed them with overwhelming margins.

While we are saddened that seven more states have passed these discriminatory amendments, we must also recognize that we continue moving forward. These amendments are last-ditch attempts by the far right to deny our humanity. They know that, as more of us are out and open in our communities, more of our neighbors support our full equality. The campaigns against these attacks on our family help us connect with voters and make them understand our issues, even if we don't win enough of them over for electoral victory after a few months of campaigning. We need to continue campaigning every day, even when our rights aren't up for a vote.

In North Carolina, that campaign means once again fighting attacks on our families in the state legislature. But it also means fighting harder than ever before for basic legal rights and protections like employment non-discrimination. And it means that each of us must continue speaking out and changing our communities and our state person by person.

Your contribution today will help us build on our momentum towards equal rights. With your support, we can build a state of equality in North Carolina. Click here to make a special contribution now to celebrate our electoral success.