A new survey of North Carolinians shows support for two issues being pushed by new Democratic Governor Roy Cooper.
We’ve entered a new year with House Bill 2 on the books in North Carolina, but public opinion is continuing to strongly oppose the law, which advocates maintain is the worst piece of antil-LGBT legislation in the nation.
HB2 requires transgender individuals to use the bathroom and changing facility in government buildings that matches their birth certificate rather than their gender identity – among other provisions that limit local government’s authority.
Public Policy Polling released a survey of North Carolinians late last week saying 50 percent of respondents opposed the law.
PPP director Tom Jensen said that represents a continuing mindset among residents of the Tar Heel state.
“HB2 – new year, same story,” Jensen said. “Only 32 percent of voters support it; 50 percent are opposed. We asked about repealing it, and by a 14-point margin voters say they think it should be repealed.”
Jensen said he anticipates Cooper continuing to push for a repeal because respondents have focused blame for the law on the Republican-led General Assembly.
“It’s very politically smart for Cooper to put the pressure on the Republicans in the legislature because voters do want to get rid of it,” Jensen said of HB2. “And at this point they are pinning the blame for its continued existence on those Republicans in the legislature.”
Another of Cooper’s priorities, expanding Medicaid, received support from 63 percent of the PPP respondents.
While repealing HB2 and expanding Medicaid were popular with respondents, nothing drew as much bipartisan support as nonpartisan redistricting of General Assembly and Congressional districts.
“Fifty-nine percent of voters in the state support [independent redistricting],” Jensen said. “But what’s more remarkable is that only 15 percent are opposed to it.
“It’s pretty hard to find something in these divisive political times that only 15 percent of voters are opposed to.”
It is unclear if any of these topics will be taken up when the North Carolina General Assembly convenes for the long legislative session beginning on Wednesday.
You can see the full survey results here.
You can listen to the full interview with PPP director Tom Jensen and WCHL’s Aaron Keck below:
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