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The Republican attempt to election year fearmonger about transgender persons and bathrooms has backfired in North Carolina as 50% of the state’s residents want HB 2 repealed.

According to Public Policy Polling:

Only 35% of voters in the state support the bill, to 44% who are opposed to it. We continue to find that there are a lot more Republicans (28%) who are opposed to it than there are Democrats (16%) in support of it. 50% of voters in the state would like to see it repealed, compared to only 38% who think it should stay on the books. That includes a 46/39 spread among independents in favor of repealing it. The reason for voters wanting HB2 repealed are pretty straightforward- they think it’s hurting the state both economically and in terms of its national reputation. Overall only 29% of voters believe HB2 is helping North Carolina, t0 56% who think it’s hurting. That includes a 29/53 spread with independents. Specifically on the issue of the economy, only 12% think it’s having a positive impact on the state to 50% who think it’s hurting. Even among Republicans 14% more think it’s negatively affecting the state’s economy than positively. And just 24% of voters think HB2 is helping the state’s national reputation, to 53% who think it’s hurting.

North Carolina Republicans tried to pull a page out of the 2004 George W. Bush playbook by appealing to bigotry in an attempt to boost their chances at the polls in November. What the Republicans didn’t count on was a national backlash against their discriminatory that has hurt the state economically, and damaged its reputation.

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This isn’t 2004, and North Republicans could pay a heavy price at the polls for becoming the national symbol of discrimination at a time when the United States is moving towards openness and equality.

A majority of North Carolinians polled want HB 2 gone, and if Republicans don’t repeal it, they will elect candidates who will.