Human Rights Campaign Rescinds Endorsement of US Senator

Two days after a racist comment he made about his opponent, the Human Rights Campaign revoked its endorsement of Illinois Sen. Mark Kirk.

During a debate with Rep. Tammy Duckworth, Kirk, who is running for re-election, questioned her ancestral ties to the American Revolution by invoking her Thai heritage.  Kirk has apologized for the comments.

“Attacking someone because of her race and ethnicity is inexcusable for anyone, but especially for a sitting U.S. Senator,” wrote Chad Griffin, the president of HRC.  “The diversity of our movement is our greatest strength, and Senator Kirk’s remarks were an affront to our most fundamental values.”  This is the first time the group has rescinded an endorsement.

A few hours later, the Americans for Responsible Solutions political action committee, a gun violence prevention organization, took away its endorsement of Kirk.