This morning, in a quick vote, the State House overrode Pat McCrory’s veto of S2, the bill allowing magistrates to recuse themselves from presiding over gay weddings if they have “sincerely held religious objections.” The vote was 69-41, meaning the GOP had three votes to spare.

Notably, ten members were absent. Democrats missing: Howard Hunter, Garland Pierce, Evelyn Terry, and Michael Wray. Republicans missing: Brian Brown, John Bradford, Jon Hardister, Julia Howard, Charles Jeter, Lee Zachary. Democrats voting for the override: William Brisson, Charles Graham, Ken Waddell. Republicans voting against: Rick Catlin, Leo Daughtry. Members suffering from a partisan identity crisis and voting against: Paul Tine.

The override is a blow for the governor. His veto of the ag-gag bill was also overriden, but some thought this one had a good chance of being sustained. Looks like they were wrong and the social conservatives carried the day.

Now, do moderates who don’t like social conservatism appreciate the governor’s veto and his position on the issue and ignore the fact that he failed to persuade legislators? Or, does it make him look weak and endanger his reelection bid? It’s too early to say, but one thing that’s clear is that Pat McCrory needs a few victories. This is yet another defeat.

6 Comments

  1. Neal

    North Carolina will be spending our money on another law suit brought by the feds instead of using it to better our state.

  2. Russell Scott Day

    NC acts stupid at the place of laws and power over all citizens who ought get the right to ignore NC laws prohibiting smoking, growing or selling pot then. We could all base our refusal on firmly held ethical convictions, and some lines in the Constitution about a “pursuit of happiness”.

  3. Mike L

    I gotta admit I was actually holding out hope this one wouldn’t be overridden. I’m just wondering, if it was ruled in the supreme court back in the ’70s that a magistrate couldn’t refuse to marry an interracial couple based on religious grounds how is this even legal? Is it because the magistrate has to turn everyone away, not just the couple that offends him/her? I’m a bit confused here….

    • Progressive Wing

      Yes, the cabal who advanced this bill chose to write it in a way that allow magistrates to discriminate against anybody on religious belief grounds. There is no mention of gays or same sex marriage or any other personal, religious, or biological aspect in SB 2. Have to think that they thought it would deflect charges that they and the bill were anti-gay, as in “if it’s not explicitly discriminatory toward somebody’s sexual orientation–or their race, religion, or nationality, for that matter–well it’s not discriminatory at all.” It’s sad that they, in a sense, went so far as to make a religious belief a bigoted belief.

    • Charles Hogan

      wonder if they know that this opens up a can of worms? I “mixed race” license has been refused for religious grounds here before. Jews can now be refused.,Muslims, Hindu . I would say that we need to start electing humanist for the office..

  4. Apply Liberally

    So which is it, John Wynne, Republican?

    Is this override a good thing because your neo-con GOP brethren further returned NC to its yesteryear position as a state in the Deep South that discriminates, or is this a bad thing because, once again, a weak GOP governor has been ignored and trampled by his GOP brethren?

    Can’t have it both ways, John…………

Related Posts

GET UPDATES

Get the latest posts from PoliticsNC delivered right to your inbox!

You have Successfully Subscribed!