As Mike Huckabee Gears up 2016 Campaign, HRC Website Highlights His Opposition to LGBT Equality

As Mike Huckabee Gears up 2016 Campaign, HRC Releases Website Highlighting His Opposition to LGBT Equality

WASHINGTON – Today, the Human Rights Campaign (HRC), the nation’s largest lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) civil rights organization, released a comprehensive research report on potential presidential candidate Mike Huckabee that highlights his record opposing LGBT equality.

The research document marks the Human Rights Campaign’s first effort to chronicle where potential 2016 presidential candidates stand on LGBT equality. The document, which will be hosted at hrc.org/2016RepublicanFacts, will serve as an online resource for documenting the record and rhetoric of potential 2016 GOP presidential candidates, and where they stand on key LGBT issues. Huckabee is among the first tier of candidates to be released by HRC.

“Given that Mike Huckabee has made no secret about his opposition to marriage equality, he needs to explain whether he will support the new push by some presidential candidates for a constitutional amendment that would define marriage as one man and one woman,” said Jodee Winterhof, HRC’s VP for Policy and Political Affairs. “Does Mike Huckabee still believe that judges who support marriage equality should be impeached?”

With a Supreme Court ruling on marriage expected this summer, Sen Ted Cruz has pledged to introduce a constitutional amendment that would prevent the federal government from striking down state marriage laws.

Download the full research report here. The website hrc.org/2016RepublicanFacts highlights the public statements of candidates on key issues including: positions on marriage equality, support for anti-discrimination bills, positions on dangerous conversion therapy, history of harmful rhetoric and positions on allowing LGBT couples to adopt.  As candidates evolve and expand their positions on LGBT issues, (and as the field changes) this research will be updated to take into account their most recent publicly available statements. Additions, questions and suggestions can be sent to 2016research@hrc.org

Highlights on Where Huckabee Stands:

Overview: Mike Huckabee has been a staunch opponent of LGBT equality, dating back to when he first burst onto the public scene in the 1990s and declared that “we should isolate the carriers” of HIV and that AIDS research received “an unfair share of federal dollars.” Huckabee has since tried to walk those comments back, but he’s maintained opposition to LGBT equality on every issue that has come before him. [Citations/Full Research Brief]

On Marriage Equality: Huckabee opposes marriage equality and has suggested judges who rule in favor of it should be impeached.   [Citations/Full Research Brief]

On LGBT Discrimination: Huckabee has argued against local ordinances that would protect LGBT Americans from discrimination.  [Citations/Full Research Brief]

On Conversion Therapy: Huckabee has supported dangerous “conversion therapy” that coerces minors into ‘treatment’ that can lead to depression and suicide. [Citations/Full Research Brief]

HarmfulRhetoric: In opposing Huckabee marriage equality, Huckabee said in 2010, “We can get into the ick factor, but the fact is two men in a relationship, two women in a relationship, biologically, that doesn’t work the same.” [Citations/Full Research Brief]

Adoption: Huckabee opposed allowing gay and transgender Americans to adopt children, because “children aren’t puppies.” [Citations/Full Research Brief]

 The Human Rights Campaign is America’s largest organization working to achieve lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender equality. HRC envisions a world where LGBT people are embraced as full members of society at home, at work and in every community.

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