Support for providing Gays and Lesbians the same protections in Federal law as are provided by other "target classes" narrowed in the U.S. Senate today, with 39 against (40, including McCain who has never voted "yea" on LGBT hate crime legislation) compared to 33 in the 2004 vote on the Matthew Shepard Act.
The "slip" in support occured as the obstructionism of the GOP in the 110th apparently intensified, with 14 new votes against, either from those new to the Senate or from those switching their votes.
Kerry and Sanders voted "Yea" (Kerry and Jeffords were absent in the last vote).
| New 'NAYs' | OLD 'NAYs' |
|---|---|
| Alexander (R-TN)* | Frist (R-TN) |
| Barrasso (R-WY) | Thomas (R-WY) |
| Bennett (R-UT) | Fitzgerald (R-IL) |
| Burns (R-MT) | Talent (R-MO) |
| Coburn (R-OK) | Nickles (R-OK) |
| Corker (R-TN) | Santorum (R-PA) |
| DeMint (R-SC) | Burr (R-NC) |
| Ensign (R-NV)* | |
| Isakson (R-GA) | |
| Martinez (R-FL) | |
| Murkowski (R-AK)* | |
| Stevens (R-AK)* | |
| Thune (R-SD) | |
| Vitter (R-LA) | |
| 14 | 7 |
McCain has always voted 'nay'.
*indicates switched / flipped vote.
Ten to fifteen years into the struggle to get this particular federal legislation and Senator Hatch reportedly is still abusing his seniority, trying to kill the idea by re-re-requesting "more study". The truth is that the statistics are probably slack in the places that do not have the money and inclination to investigate and train people about hate-crimes.
Among those one might not expect to find on the list, Senator Dole, who has consistently voted against. John Sununu, R-NH, is another.
The disgustingly distinguished Senator from Colorado, Wayne Allard, continues to 'party' with his vote, ignoring the people of his own state, who even added 'gender identity' to their laws in 2005.
Senators Vitter and Martinez also vote contrary to the majority opinion of their constituents, perhaps eager as junior Senators to make known that they are party-hearty with their new Washington GOP fancifuls.
