For Immediate Release
Contact: Jeff Graham
Jeff@georgiaequality.org, 404-523-3070 Ext 102

Discrimination’s Cost: Pat McCrory Concedes NC Governor’s Race

McCrory’s support for discriminatory HB 2 law appears to have cost him his job

ATLANTA – Pat McCrory conceded North Carolina’s governor’s race to Roy Cooper today, putting an end to a drawn-out process which saw Cooper widen his lead over McCrory substantially since November 8. Cooper secured the governorship over McCrory by a margin that exceeds more than 10,000 votes.

HB 2 – the discriminatory law that bands transgender people from using public restrooms and undermines the ability of local municipalities to pass their own policies – played a central role in McCrory’s defeat. Exit polling showed that 66 percent of North Carolina voters opposed HB 2. Aside from McCrory, Republicans performed well in North Carolina – President-elect Donald Trump carried the state by a healthy margin, and U.S. Sen. Richard Burr dispatched his Democratic challenger by more than six points.

Jeff Graham released the following statement through Georgia Unites against Discrimination:

“It’s clear that Governor McCrory’s relentless support for discrimination cost him his job. HB 2 has cost North Carolina nearly a billion dollars in lost revenue. It’s cost the state jobs, and it’s cost the state high-profile sporting events, conferences and concerts. Pat McCrory tried to ignore all the damage he unleashed on his state by signing HB 2 into law, and Roy Cooper from the very beginning expressed a commitment to stand against discrimination.

“We’re hopeful that Governor McCrory’s defeat – taken with the undeniable economic toll the law has taken on the state – will send a clear message to lawmakers here in Georgia that anti-LGBT bills really do have consequences – both politically and economically. Nothing good will come of spending yet another year wasting time and energy on divisive, harmful bills that hurt our state. Instead, it’s time to talk about how we can grow Georgia’s economy and strengthen our communities even more. We can do just that by passing comprehensive nondiscrimination protections that extend to all Georgians, from all walks of life.”

Governor-elect Cooper will take office on January 7, 2017. Cooper – along with a number of state lawmakers, including some Republicans – has expressed a desire to repeal HB 2.

###