HRC announced its endorsement of Patrick Murphy for the U.S. Senate seat currently held by Marco Rubio.
“The choice for LGBTQ Floridians could not be more clear in November. Patrick Murphy has a record of leadership on equality while Marco Rubio has dedicated his career to opposing LGBTQ equality,” said HRC President Chad Griffin. “Patrick Murphy believes that everyone should be able to live free from fear of discrimination, including LGBTQ people. That’s why Patrick Murphy supports the Equality Act, and why we’re proud to support his campaign.”
“I’m so proud to receive the endorsement of the Human Rights Campaign, an organization that has led the way in the fight for LGBT equality,” said Rep. Murphy. “The passionate leadership of HRC helped bring down Don’t Ask Don’t Tell, pass anti-hate crimes legislation, and made love is love the law of the land. I was proud to celebrate these victories with HRC and I look forward to standing with them as we continue to fight for equality. After the tragic Pulse shooting, it is clear that much work remains to end discrimination and keep LGBT Americans safe. We can start by passing the Equality Act and this will be a top priority for me in the U.S. Senate.”
Rep. Murphy continued, “From marriage equality to employment non-discrimination, Marco Rubio has opposed LGBT equality at every opportunity and has never stood with our LGBT community in Florida. Our state deserves a Senator who represents the voice of the LGBT community and all Floridians in the U.S. Senate.”
Just last week, Rep. Murphy authored a letter asking that the IRS ensure that OneOrlando Fund payouts to survivors of the Pulse shooting were not taxed by the IRS. The IRS said Friday that such payouts would be exempt from income tax. Marco Rubio, meanwhile, spent the two-month anniversary of the Pulse tragedy courting the support of anti-LGBTQ activists just miles from the site of the tragedy in Orlando.
Rubio promised in his campaign for president that he would never evolve and support LGBTQ equality, putting him massively out of step with Floridians on LGBTQ issues. A 53 percent majority of Floridians support marriage equality according to nonpartisan polling release this year, while a 70 percent majority support LGBTQ non-discrimination protections, which Florida lacks.
Among Rubio’s anti-LGBTQ positions during the presidential campaign:
On Marriage Equality: Marco Rubio was an early opponent of the United States Supreme Court’s ruling on marriage equality, saying that would appoint Supreme Court justices who would overturn it. He sought to turn back the clock on nationwide marriage equality throughout the campaign and notoriously told a same-sex couple in New Hampshire that marriage should be between “one man and one woman.” Rubio went on to bizarrely tell the couple they should have the law changed by their state legislature, even though New Hampshire enacted civil unions through the legislative process in 2007, and legalized marriage equality by the same process in 2009.
On Non-Discrimination Protections: Rubio vowed to repeal all of President Obama’s executive orders, including the LGBTQ federal contractor order that protects LGBTQ workers. Previously, Rubio voted against the Employment Non-Discrimination Act, maintaining a status quo where millions of LGBTQ Americans remain at risk for being fired or denied a job because of who they are or who they love.
On Transgender Rights: Rubio opposed allowing transgender students to use facilities that correspond to their gender identity.
On Kim Davis: Marco Rubio vowed to sign the so-called “First Amendment Defense Act,” as President, a bill which would bring Kim Davis-style discrimination to the federal government.
On Mike Pence: As recently as this year, Marco Rubio defended the Indiana Governor, who attempted to write discrimination into state law and allow businesses to discriminate and deny service to someone just because of who they are or whom they love.
| Paid for by Human Rights Campaign PAC and authorized by Friends of Patrick Murphy |
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