Appearing Sunday on CBS' Face the
Nation, Republican presidential candidate John Kasich was asked
whether the would have signed a bill in North Carolina that targets
the LGBT community.
“Probably not,” the Ohio governor
answered.
Passage of the state's so-called
religious freedom bill – and similar legislation in Mississippi –
has led to calls to boycott the state.
“We are not having this issue in our
state about this whole religious liberty,” Kasich continued. “I
believe that religious institutions oughta be protected and be able
to be in a position where they can live out their deeply-held
religious purposes. But when you get beyond that it gets to be a …
contentious issue.”
Approved during a one-day special
session, North Carolina's House Bill 2 blocks cities from enacting
ordinances that prohibit discrimination based on sexual orientation
or gender identity and bars students attending public institutions
from using the bathroom that does not conform to their gender at
birth.
“I wouldn't have signed that law from
everything I know; I haven't studied it,” Kasich added. “Why do
we have to write a law every time we turn around in this country?
Can we figure out just how to get along a little bit better and
respect one another? I mean that's where I think we oughta be.
Everybody chill out. Get over it if you have a disagreement with
somebody.”
In 2011, Kasich faced criticism for
allowing a job protections order that covered sexual orientation and
gender identity signed by Democratic Governor Ted Strickland to
expire. Kasich's order bans workplace discrimination in state
employment based on several factors, including sexual orientation,
but not gender identity.