2018 RI Senate race: on Civil Rights


Bob Flanders: Supreme Court allows religious exceptions to same-sex rights

On LGBTQ rights & marriage equality, Flanders said that the Supreme Court has ruled on the issue and he would not vote to take away marriage. That said, he "respects the fact" that LGBTQ rights creates "religious issues." Flanders described the Supreme Court decision in the "cake case," saying the Supreme Court supported the bakers' right to refuse to make a cake for a gay couple because of the baker's religious beliefs. But in fact, Masterpiece Cakeshop v Colorado Civil Rights Commission was decided on procedural grounds, and no right to discriminate was created by the court.

Flanders responds, "I disagree with your contention that I mischaracterized the decision in the `cake case' when I stated that the Supreme Court supported the baker's right to refuse to make a wedding cake for a gay couple. The case was not decided on procedural grounds. The Court ruled that the baker's religious objections to creating such a cake [fell under] the First Amendment's free exercise of religion clause."

Source: UpriseRI.com on 2018 Rhode Island Senate race Jul 26, 2018

  • The above quotations are from 2018 Rhode Island Senate race: debates and news coverage.
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Candidates and political leaders on Civil Rights:

Democrats running for President:
Sen.Michael Bennet (D-CO)
V.P.Joe Biden (D-DE)
Mayor Mike Bloomberg (I-NYC)
Gov.Steve Bullock (D-MT)
Mayor Pete Buttigieg (D-IN)
Sen.Cory Booker (D-NJ)
Secy.Julian Castro (D-TX)
Rep.John Delaney (D-MD)
Rep.Tulsi Gabbard (D-HI)
Sen.Amy Klobuchar (D-MN)
Mayor Wayne Messam (D-FL)
Gov.Deval Patrick (D-MA)
Sen.Bernie Sanders (I-VT)
CEO Tom Steyer (D-CA)
Sen.Elizabeth Warren (D-MA)
Marianne Williamson (D-CA)
CEO Andrew Yang (D-NY)

2020 Third Party Candidates:
Rep.Justin Amash (L-MI)
CEO Don Blankenship (C-WV)
Gov.Lincoln Chafee (L-RI)
Howie Hawkins (G-NY)
Gov.Gary Johnson(L-NM)
Howard Schultz(I-WA)
Gov.Jesse Ventura (I-MN) 		Republicans running for President:
Sen.Ted Cruz(R-TX)
Gov.Larry Hogan (R-MD)
Gov.John Kasich(R-OH)
V.P.Mike Pence(R-IN)
Gov.Mark Sanford (R-SC)
Pres.Donald Trump(R-NY)
Rep.Joe Walsh (R-IL)
Gov.Bill Weld(R-MA & L-NY)

2020 Withdrawn Democratic Candidates:
Sen.Stacey Abrams (D-GA)
Mayor Bill de Blasio (D-NYC)
Sen.Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY)
Sen.Mike Gravel (D-AK)
Sen.Kamala Harris (D-CA)
Gov.John Hickenlooper (D-CO)
Gov.Jay Inslee (D-WA)
Rep.Seth Moulton (D-MA)
Rep.Beto O`Rourke (D-TX)
Rep.Tim Ryan (D-CA)
Adm.Joe Sestak (D-PA)
Rep.Eric Swalwell (D-CA)
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Page last updated: Dec 01, 2021