Another week in Virginia politics, another week where Laura Vozzella writes an article for the Washington Post trying to stir up Republican division. This week Laura’s target was the Republican nominee for Governor, Ed Gillespie.
Gillespie, who last week earned the endorsement of the Northern Virginia Chamber of Commerce Political Action Committee (NOVABIZPAC), basically took the endorsement from Democrat Ralph Northam. Northam, along with Governor Terry McAliuffe, was endorsed by the PAC four years ago. This year, the PAC chose to endorse Gillespie and Lieutenant Governor nominee Jill Vogel.
However, the Washington Post revealed that in private meetings with the Chamber, Gillespie stated that he would oppose all bills similar to the North Carolina HB2. Here’s the report from the Washington Post: [1]
Republican Ed Gillespie won the endorsement of an influential Northern Virginia business group after privately assuring members that he would oppose any bills dictating which bathrooms transgender people must use — a new promise that shocked conservative backers.
The gubernatorial candidate “vowed to oppose bills like North Carolina’s HB2 that would threaten Virginia’s reputation as an open and welcoming Commonwealth,” Jim Corcoran, president of the Northern Virginia Chamber, said in a written statement announcing the endorsement by its political action arm, NOVABIZPAC.
He was referring to North Carolina’s now-repealed law, known as HB2, mandating that transgender people use the bathroom corresponding with the sex on their birth certificates. The law faced an intense backlash, including economic boycotts and job losses, with sports leagues relocating games and companies nixing expansions.
In an interview Friday, Corcoran said Gillespie promised to oppose similar legislation two weeks ago, during a private interview with the 25-member board. He said that position factored into the board’s decision to back Gillespie over his Democratic rival, Lt. Gov. Ralph Northam, who has long supported LGBT rights. Corcoran said Gillespie made the vow after the board expressed concerns about HB2.
“We stated that we are an open and welcoming state here, we don’t want anything that is going to persuade persons that this is not a conducive place to do business,” Corcoran said.
Gillespie spokesman David Abrams did not dispute that account but said the candidate’s opposition should come as no surprise.
“Ed has always been clear he opposes legislation like HB2 in North Carolina and he is honored to earn this critically important endorsement from the NOVa chamber,” Abrams said.
Vozella then tried to spend the rest of the article talking about Gillespie not being true to conservative principles.
Here’s the real truth. Ed Gillespie made the right decision by coming out against so called “bathroom bills.” Not only did a similar law in North Carolina cause mass discrimination of the LGBT community, but it cost North Carolina thousands of jobs and tax revenue. [2] It was projected that the state lost $3.7 billion, that’s a Billion with a B, Billion dollars due to companies moving out of the state. Conventions, sporting events, and companies of all shapes and sizes went elsewhere due to the disaster that was the North Carolina “bathroom bill.”
Ed Gillespie, in opposing such measures, is acting not only in the best interests of the Virginia business community, but acting in the best interests of all Virginians. We need to avoid the toxic laws whose sole purpose is to divide Virginians against each other. The Ed Gillespie I know truly believes that no matter our differences, Virginia can come together to make our state business friendly, and friendly to all Virginians at the same time.
I am exceedingly proud of Mr. Gillespie opposing these laws and hope that his running mates will join him in opposing such legislation.