Sen. Kay Hagan Announces Support For Marriage Equality

[brooklynite]

Source: Talking Points Memo

Sen. Kay Hagan (D-NC), another red-state Democrat up for re-election in 2014, announced her support for marriage equality on Wednesday.

"I know there are strong feelings on both sides, and I have a great deal of respect for their opinions,” Hagan said in an interview with the News & Observer. “But after much thought and prayer on my part this is where I am today."

She added: “I know all our families do not look alike. We all want the same thing for our families. We want happiness, we want health, prosperity, a bright future for our children and grandchildren. After conversations I’ve had with family members, with people I go to church with and with North Carolinians from all walks of life, I’ve come to my own personal conclusion that we should not tell people who they can love, or who they can marry. It’s time to move forward with this issue.”

Democratic Sens. Jon Tester (MT), Mark Begich (AK), Claire McCaskill (MO), Mark Warner (VA) and Jay Rockefeller (WV) also backed gay marriage this week.

Read more: http://livewire.talkingpointsmemo.com/entry/sen-kay-hagan-announces-support-for-marriage-equality

[Arkana]

1. Another Democrat on the bandwagon--looks like none of them want to be left behind.

[onehandle]

2. Seven to go, I believe. nt

[illegaloperation]

12. Yes, that's true.

Anyone want to call up Sen. Tom Carper (Delaware) and Sen. Bob Casey (Pennsylvania)?

They are in relatively safe blue states.

[still_one]

3. It takes no courage to do what is right. In fact anyone who is against equal protection I suspect

would not vote Democratic anyway, so it really should not have taken this long for some politicians to come out fearing political consequences

As far as portman, where was he when HE wasn't personally affected?

[illegaloperation]

13. Actually, it does.

North Carolina voted for same-sex marriage ban 61%-39% in 2012 (yes, that is last year!). Obama got 48% of the vote there so apparently a lot of people who voted Obama in North Carolina also voted to ban same-sex marriage.

Hagan is taking a big risk in supporting same-sex marriage since she is up for reelection in 2014.

[still_one]

15. You make a good point

[NRaleighLiberal]

4. Finally. Faint praise only for mostly ineffective Kay. Certainly the right answer...

but most often the wrong politician. NC needs a much stronger progressive voice on the Dem side of the aisle.

[dmosh42]

8. She needs a primary opponent! Useless!

[iandhr]

10. Are you kidding me.

That would leave us with a Republican. She is 100x better then having that seat filled by someone like Richard Burr.

For North Carolina she is the best we can do.

[illegaloperation]

14. 100% agree

North Carolina is NOT going to vote for someone like Dianne Feinstein.

[alp227]

11. In fact isn't Hagan one of those Red State Democrats against the AWB? n/t

[CRK7376]

5. At least

one of our Senators got it right. Now to wait and see what the Supremes do...

[srican69]

6. for a second I thought it was Kagan ..

[kestrel91316]

7. I am quite unimpressed by THIS part:

"I know there are strong feelings on both sides, and I have a great deal of respect for their opinions,” Hagan said.

She has "respect" for hateful bigots?? Would she say the same thing if the debate were about interracial marriage???

Just shut up and vote correctly, Kay. You aren't helping things.

[illegaloperation]

16. Hagan has to tiptoe her way to relection in 2014.

Last year (2012), North Carolina voted to ban same-sex marriage 61%-39%.

She is going to have to get some "hateful bigots" to vote for her to win reelection.

[Kelvin Mace]

9. Another Democrat dragged kicking and screaming into the 21st Century

She insisted the issue was up to the states when she ran for senate. When cornered about Loving v. Virginia and how by her definition, interracial marriage could still be illegal, she basically stopped taking unscripted questions at public events from that point on.

I guess this is progress. Now, if we could just get rid of her "bi-partisan fetish".