Our organization sent out a questionnaire to all NC candidates for the U.S. House of Representatives and the General Assembly. Here is the list of those who said they support the ERA and will cosponsor legislation to make it part of the U.S. Constitution, along with their comments.
U.S. House of Representatives
Melvin L. Watt – District 12 (D)
“Have been a supporter and continue to be.”
NC Senate
Floyd B. McKissick – District 20 (D)
Joel Ford – District 38 (D)
“I am an advocate and supporter of equal rights but cannot say definitively I will co-sponsor or vote for a bill I haven’t yet seen.”
Martin L. Nesbitt – District 49 (D)
“Possibly yes. I need to see the legislation before I can make an informed decision.” [We responded by sending him a sample resolution.]
NC House of Representatives
Susi H. Hamilton – District 18 (D)
Rosa U. Gill – District 33 (D)
“The U.S. Constitution guarantees all citizens basic rights and there should be no discrimination.”
Deborah Ross – District 34 (D)
“I have always supported the ERA.”
Yvonne Lewis Holley – District 38 (D)
“We cannot let the equal rights of women be diminished in any way. We have worked too hard and too long. NC NEEDS TO RATIFY now.”
Marvin Lucas – District 42 (D)
Richard B. Glazier – District 44 (D)
“I would definitely co-sponsor and vote to ratify the ERA.”
Verla Insko – District 56 (D)
“First, I support the ERA and am glad to hear some activists are working on the issue. Isn’t the first step to clarify that the 1982 deadline was not constitutional or that it has been extended? States can’t do much until that issue is resolved—if I understand the issue correctly.”
[We responded as follows:
Thank you for your message. We are so pleased that you support the ERA.
Many scholars believe that the ERA remains legally viable even without passage of the congressional resolutions. See the following article in the William and Mary Journal of Women and the Law: http://scholarship.law.wm.edu/wmjowl/vol3/iss1/5/. A congressional committee later came up with a similar conclusion. Therefore ERA efforts have been underway in at least eight states since 1992, when the 27th Amendment was finally ratified by 38 states–203 years after it was first introduced. These efforts had been going on long before HJR 47 and SJR 39 were proposed, in 2011 and 2012, respectively.
ERA advocates are working simultaneously in the states and in Congress, but there is no reason to wait for Congress to pass a resolution clarifying the issue, since it is already properly before the states. We do plan to have the ERA introduced in the General Assembly in 2013, but at this point we aren’t sure who our lead sponsor will be.
Alma Adams – District 58 (D)
“Women deserve equal status and equal protection under the law.”
Evelyn Terry – District 71 (D)
“Send me the language of the bill. I must know the person who is introducing the amendment. I am for equal rights however conditions can exist that distort the best efforts of well meaning people.”
Harry Warren – District 77 (R)
Kelly Alexander – District 107 (D)
“Supported it first time; continue to think it is a good idea.”
Susan C. Fisher – District 114 (D)
“The recent biennium in the NC General Assembly illustrates clearly how women’s rights may be quickly eroded.”
Chuck McGrady – District 117 (R)
