South Carolina’s Governor Openly Opposed Marriage Equality in Debate
South Carolina Governor Henry McMaster and his Democratic challenger, former U.S. House Representative Joe Cunningham squared off in the state’s lone gubernatorial debate on Wednesday, and sparks flew between the two politicians over the issue of marriage equality.The debate took place live on South Carolina Educational Television and was co-hosted by The Post and Courier.“In our Constitution, it is not allowed and under our state law, it is not allowed,” McMaster said. “I would follow state law, whatever the state law is.”The 75-year-old McMaster, who was appointed to the office in 2017 and won a full four-year term at the ballot box in 2018, then compared marriage equality to transgender youth playing sports according to their identity, also managing to misgender trans girls in the process.“Maybe I'm old fashioned, but I think marriage ought to be between a man and a woman, just like I think that boys ought to play in boys’ sports and girls ought to play in girls’ sports.”Cunningham, 40, had been trying to pin down the governor’s position on marriage equality for weeks and quickly pounced on McMaster’s statements.“It’s 2022 and Gov.
McMaster wants to ban same-sex marriage tonight,” Cunningham said. “I just heard that tonight folks. We’re running a campaign of more ideas versus his campaign of old ideas.”Rather than respond directly to Cunningham’s response, McMasters touted the state’s economic successes.“We’re doing well,” McMaster said. “I listen to Congressman Cunningham and it sounds like the state’s falling apart.
If so, why are we booming?”Colleen Condon, a board member of Alliance for Full Acceptance in Charleston, told The Post and Courier that the governor’s response confirmed he is not attuned to the views.
