2012 Del. Senate Debate: on Civil Rights


Alex Pires: Women are treated disproportionately poorly

One audience member noted the political preoccupation with abortion and contraception, and if they thought human rights or religious rights were more important. "We have 100 Senators; 17 of them are women," Pires said. "I think women are treated disproportionately poor." The government should focus on human rights; religion is a personal matter, he said.
Source: Cape Gazette on 2012 Delaware Senate debate Oct 19, 2012

Alex Pires: Gay people are equal

Carper said it is up to the states' legislatures to decide who can get married in their state. Pires criticized Carper for speaking in "double-talk" while answering "I support gay marriage. Gay people are equal."
Source: Newark Post on 2012 Delaware Senate debate Oct 19, 2012

Kevin Wade: Marriage is fundamental building block for any community

Pires said, "I support gay marriage. Gay people are equal."

Wade called the issue a "fringe issue," but continued, "I will state for the record, I know that marriage is between man and a woman and is the fundamental building block for any community and any nation."

Source: Newark Post on 2012 Delaware Senate debate Oct 19, 2012

Tom Carper: Let state legislatures decide who can get married

Carper said it is up to the states' legislatures to decide who can get married in their state. Pires criticized Carper for speaking in "double-talk" while answering "I support gay marriage. Gay people are equal."
Source: Newark Post on 2012 Delaware Senate debate Oct 19, 2012

Tom Carper: Repeal DOMA; it's unconstitutional

Carper said he agrees with recent courts' ruling that the federal Defense of Marriage Act, which President Bill Clinton signed into law in 1996 giving states the grounds to bar same-sex couples from getting married, is unconstitutional. "Would I vote to repeal the Defense of Marriage Act? I would. And when you've got four of five courts saying something is unconstitutional, I think we should fix it," Carper said.
Source: Newark Post on 2012 Delaware Senate debate Oct 19, 2012

Alex Pires: Unequivocal support for legalization of same-sex marriage

Wade called same-sex marriage a "fringe issue" and a distraction to real issues of concern to voters. "They worry about jobs, their homes, this country and the future of their children and grandchildren," he said.

Pires unequivocally supported legalization of same-sex marriage. Carper offered more tepid support but said he supports the repeal of a Bill Clinton-era law that defines marriage as between a man and a woman. Carper only recently reversed his position on the Defense of Marriage Act.

Source: Delmarva Daily Times on 2012 Del. Senate debate Oct 17, 2012

Kevin Wade: Same-sex marriage is a "fringe issue" and a distraction

Wade called same-sex marriage a "fringe issue" and a distraction to real issues of concern to voters. "They worry about jobs, their homes, this country and the future of their children and grandchildren," he said.

Pires unequivocally supported legalization of same-sex marriage. Carper offered more tepid support but said he supports the repeal of a Bill Clinton-era law that defines marriage as between a man and a woman. Carper only recently reversed his position on the Defense of Marriage Act.

Source: Delmarva Daily Times on 2012 Del. Senate debate Oct 17, 2012

Tom Carper: Repeal the Defense of Marriage Act

Wade called same-sex marriage a "fringe issue" and a distraction to real issues of concern to voters. "They worry about jobs, their homes, this country and the future of their children and grandchildren," he said.

Pires unequivocally supported legalization of same-sex marriage. Carper offered more tepid support but said he supports the repeal of a Bill Clinton-era law that defines marriage as between a man and a woman. Carper only recently reversed his position on the Defense of Marriage Act.

Source: Delmarva Daily Times on 2012 Del. Senate debate Oct 17, 2012

  • The above quotations are from 2012 Delaware Senate Debate.
  • Click here for definitions & background information on Civil Rights.
  • Click here for other issues (main summary page).
  • Click here for more quotes by Tom Carper on Civil Rights.
  • Click here for more quotes by Kevin Wade on Civil Rights.
Candidates and political leaders on Civil Rights:

Retired Senate as of Jan. 2015:
GA:Chambliss(R)
IA:Harkin(D)
MI:Levin(D)
MT:Baucus(D)
NE:Johanns(R)
OK:Coburn(R)
SD:Johnson(D)
WV:Rockefeller(D)

Resigned from 113th House:
AL-1:Jo Bonner(R)
FL-19:Trey Radel(R)
LA-5:Rod Alexander(R)
MA-5:Ed Markey(D)
MO-9:Jo Ann Emerson(R)
NC-12:Melvin Watt(D)
SC-1:Tim Scott(R) 		Retired House to run for Senate or Governor:
AR-4:Tom Cotton(R)
GA-1:Jack Kingston(R)
GA-10:Paul Broun(R)
GA-11:Phil Gingrey(R)
HI-1:Colleen Hanabusa(D)
IA-1:Bruce Braley(D)
LA-6:Bill Cassidy(R)
ME-2:Mike Michaud(D)
MI-14:Gary Peters(D)
MT-0:Steve Daines(R)
OK-5:James Lankford(R)
PA-13:Allyson Schwartz(D)
TX-36:Steve Stockman(R)
WV-2:Shelley Capito(R) 		Retired House as of Jan. 2015:
AL-6:Spencer Bachus(R)
AR-2:Tim Griffin(R)
CA-11:George Miller(D)
CA-25:Howard McKeon(R)
CA-33:Henry Waxman(D)
CA-45:John Campbell(R)
IA-3:Tom Latham(R)
MN-6:Michele Bachmann(R)
NC-6:Howard Coble(R)
NC-7:Mike McIntyre(D)
NJ-3:Jon Runyan(R)
NY-4:Carolyn McCarthy(D)
NY-21:Bill Owens(D)
PA-6:Jim Gerlach(R)
UT-4:Jim Matheson(D)
VA-8:Jim Moran(D)
VA-10:Frank Wolf(R)
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Page last updated: Dec 04, 2018