Every NC Republican voted against protecting marriage equality and guaranteeing access to contraception
North Carolina’s Republican U.S. House members proved twice last week that they don’t have the best interests of their constituents or the country in mind when they voted against two important bills; one that codified same-sex marriage and interracial marriage into federal law, and another that guaranteed access to contraception.
The Respect for Marriage Act passed the House with a 267-157 vote, including votes in favor from North Carolina’s five Democratic representatives. Republicans Dan Bishop, Ted Budd, Madison Cawthorn, Virginia Foxx, Richard Hudson, Patrick McHenry, Greg Murphy and David Rouzer voted against it.
A couple of days later, Rep. Kathy Manning (NC-06) had her Right to Contraception Act put up for a vote in the House, where it passed 228-195. Once again, all eight North Carolina Republicans voted against the bill.
- A June Gallup poll showed that a record 71% of Americans were in favor of same-sex marriage, up one percent from 2021. As for interracial marriage, a 2021 Gallup poll put support at 94%. That puts Republicans who voted against the Respect for Marriage Act at odds with nearly 3 out of 4 Americans on marriage equality and more than 9 out of 10 Americans on interracial marriage.
- Proving again just how radical and out-of-touch Republicans are, recent polls show that 90% of all Americans support legal access to birth control and/or condoms in “all” or “most” cases and 81% said the same regarding IUDs. And still, every NC Republican voted against the bill.
Republicans here and across the country have shown time and again that they don’t care about protecting our freedoms. Extremist North Carolina Republicans are actively working to take away marriage equality, reproductive rights and LGBTQ+ rights, all while refusing to properly fund our schools and deny health care to those most in need.
North Carolinians’ rights are on the line this fall. At the ballot box, voters will have the power to protect these rights and vote out extremist Republicans who have put their interests above North Carolinians.
