NORTH CAROLINA: State Senator Becomes First Republican Legislator To Call For Repeal Of Hate Law

Bet you can guess why. Raleigh’s NBC affiliate reports:

State Sen. Tamara Barringer, R-Wake, told WRAL News Tuesday night that she became the first Republican lawmaker to call for the “substantial and immediate” repeal of House Bill 2 due to the measure’s “unintended consequences,” which have played out over the past six months.

“I did not realize the consequences of this bill, that it would have worldwide consequences, and they just keep piling up,” Barringer said. “So, at this point, I’m willing to stand up and say, ‘Let’s put the brakes on it. Let’s get together and find a common solution that we call can live with and move forward.'”

Barringer also faces re-election. Her state Senate district covers Wake County’s southwestern corner, a suburban swath of territory that juts up to Interstate 400 in Raleigh and, in many respects, is far less socially conservative than the state’s rural counties. Susan Evans, Barringer’s Democratic rival, accused the Republican of changing positions based on political expedience rather than any profound change of heart.

“A vote is a vote. When she voted for HB2 in March, Sen. Barringer knew what she was doing,” said Dustin Ingalls, Evans’ campaign manager. “Only now that she’s in danger of losing her seat does she waffle. Her latest change of mind is certainly not a change of heart. It’s a purely political move designed to make voters forget that she is responsible for the loss of jobs and millions of dollars in economic investment in her district.”

Here’s Barringer’s formal statement:

“Whenever legislative bodies rush to judgment on important public policy decisions, there are unintended consequences. With the most recent announcements impacting our state, there are simply too many examples of very sad and unfortunate ramifications and unintended effects of HB2.

“I do not want men or boys legally to be able to share the same locker rooms or bathrooms with my 16-year-old daughter and her classmates or teammates. However, if we want to preserve the proud heritage of North Carolina, it is time for our leadership to consider a substantial and immediate repeal of HB2.”