Hagan Reiterates Opposition to Proposed N.C. Marriage Amendment
North Carolina Sen. Kay Hagan on Wednesday reiterated her opposition to a proposed constitutional amendment that would ban legal recognition of same-sex couples in the Tarheel State.
"Amendment One has far-reaching, negative consequences for our families, our children and our communities," she said in a video for the Coalition to Protect North Carolina Families. "I do not believe there is any reason we should amend our state's constitution to take away people's rights."
Hagan further argued that the proposed amendment that North Carolina voters will consider on May 8 will harm the state's ability to attract new businesses. "Jobs are my number one priority," she said. "We cannot afford to take our eye off the ball and give businesses a reason to grow and expand elsewhere instead of right here in North Carolina."
Hagan's comments coincide with the release of a new Public Policy Polling poll that shows support for the proposed amendment continues to drop.
Only 54 percent of North Carolina voters said they support the measure, compared to 61 percent who backed it last October. The PPP poll found that 53 percent of North Carolina voters support either marriage or civil unions for same-sex couples.
President Barack Obama, Gov. Bev Perdue and Dr. William Barber, president of the North Carolina chapter of the NAACP, are among those who have also spoken out against Amendment One.