Battle over bathrooms looms large in North Carolina governor's raceWINSTON-SALEM, N.C. (Reuters) - In a year of police shooting protests, historic hurricane flooding and voting rights clashes in North Carolina, it is the battle over bathrooms that could prove pivotal in the Tar Heel state’s gubernatorial race. The election will effectively serve as a referendum on a state law that bans transgender people from using government-run restrooms that match their gender identity and limits protections for gays and lesbians. Signed by Republican Governor Pat McCrory in March, the law has been blamed for hundreds of millions of dollars in economic losses and the relocation of major sporting events from the ninth largest U.S. state. Opponents of the law say the vote on Tuesday also could have national implications. If McCrory loses to Democratic challenger Roy Cooper, they said, elected officials backing such measures in other states will face greater political risk.  “I believe a strong message already has been sent to lawmakers across the country,” said Chad Griffin, president of the Human Rights Campaign, the nation’s largest lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer (LGBTQ) civil rights organization. “I believe and hope on Election Day that an even stronger message will be sent.” The advocacy group has joined with Equality North Carolina for a broad effort to boost voter turnout and unseat McCrory and other supporters of the law known as House Bill 2. The organizations are targeting about 400,000 pro-equality voters in the state, including an estimated 255,800 LGBT voters, Griffin said. The Human Rights Campaign said that voting bloc could make a difference in a presidential swing state where Democrat Barack Obama won by about 14,000 votes in 2008 and Republican Mitt Romney led by about 92,000 votes in 2012. “There’s no question this is going to be a very close race at the top of the ticket, and the LGBTQ voting bloc really has the ability to impact the outcome of this election,” said Chris Sgro, executive director of Equality North Carolina. RACE A TOSS-UP Elections experts consider the race between McCrory and Cooper, one of 12 U.S. gubernatorial seats being decided on Tuesday, to be among the country’s most competitive.  Public opinion polls have been tight most of the year, though the RealClearPolitics average of recent surveys shows Cooper with a slight advantage. A Reuters/Ipsos opinion poll found that, among residents who expect to vote, 38 percent were less likely to support McCrory’s re-election bid as a result of the law and its fallout, compared with 32 percent who were more likely to support him. The poll was conducted online in English between Oct. 6 and Oct. 19. It included 1,233 likely voters and had a credibility interval, a measure of accuracy, of 3 percentage points. Other polls have shown a majority of residents believe the law is hurting the state. McCrory, who in 2012 became North Carolina’s first Republican governor in two decades, has blamed the backlash against the law on national groups trying to redefine gender and “basic norms of privacy.” Cooper says the law is discriminatory, and he has made McCrory’s support for it a central issue of his campaign. An ad campaign launched last week by the conservative NC Values Coalition accuses Cooper, the state’s attorney general since 2001, of putting women and children at risk by refusing to defend H.B. 2. “By not defending it, he’s allowing men into women’s bathrooms,” the group’s executive director, Tami Fitzgerald, said in a phone interview. “We think that just goes too far.” “Equality NC and HRC have made North Carolina ground zero for their radical LGBT agenda,” she added. “But I believe that their efforts will fail.” At early voting sites in North Carolina this week, the issue appeared to be galvanizing people on both sides. “I admire McCrory for standing behind H.B. 2,” said Republican Parker Umstead, 81, a certified public accountant who cast a ballot in Winston-Salem for the incumbent. “It takes courage to stand up for your beliefs.” But Holly Carpenter, a 41-year-old Republican from Cary who works in the medical field, cited the measure as the prime reason why she voted against McCrory, whom she supported in 2012. “To lose so many economic opportunities over that was just a huge negative for me,” she said. politicsNews
battle bathrooms looms large north carolina governor reuters in year police shooting protests historic hurricane flooding voting rights clashes north carolina battle bathrooms could prove pivotal tar heel state gubernatorial race the election effectively serve referendum state law bans transgender people using restrooms match gender identity limits protections gays lesbians signed republican governor pat mccrory march law blamed hundreds millions dollars economic losses relocation major sporting events ninth largest state opponents law say vote tuesday also could national implications if mccrory loses democratic challenger roy cooper said elected officials backing measures states face greater political risk i believe strong message already sent lawmakers across country said chad griffin president human rights campaign nation largest lesbian gay bisexual transgender queer lgbtq civil rights organization i believe hope election day even stronger message the advocacy group joined equality north carolina broad effort boost voter turnout unset mccrory supporters law known house bill the organizations targeting voters state including estimated lgbt voters griffin said the human rights campaign said voting bloc could make difference presidential swing state democrat barack obama votes republican mitt romney led votes there question going close race top ticket lgbtq voting bloc really ability impact outcome election said chris gro executive director equality north carolina race a elections experts consider race mccrory cooper one gubernatorial seats decided tuesday among country competitive public opinion polls tight year though realclearpolitics average recent surveys shows cooper slight advantage a opinion poll found among residents expect vote percent less likely support mccrory bid result law fallout compared percent likely support the poll conducted online english it included likely voters credibility interval measure accuracy percentage points other polls shown majority residents believe law hurting state mccrory became north carolina first republican governor two decades blamed backlash law national groups trying redefine gender basic norms cooper says law discriminatory made mccrory support central issue campaign an ad campaign launched last week conservative nc values coalition accuses cooper state attorney general since putting women children risk refusing defend by defending allowing men women bathrooms group executive director tamil fitzgerald said phone interview we think goes equality nc hrc made north carolina ground zero radical lgbt agenda added but i believe efforts at early voting sites north carolina week issue appeared galvanizing people sides i admire mccrory standing behind said republican parker instead certified public accountant cast ballot incumbent it takes courage stand but holly carpenter republican car works medical field cited measure prime reason voted mccrory supported to lose many economic opportunities huge negative said politicsnews
Your task is to classify the provided input as real or fake news. Label 0 is meant for fake news, Label 1 is for real news. TEXT: Battle over bathrooms looms large in North Carolina governor's raceWINSTON-SALEM, N.C. (Reuters) - In a year of police shooting protests, historic hurricane flooding and voting rights clashes in North Carolina, it is the battle over bathrooms that could prove pivotal in the Tar Heel state’s gubernatorial race. The election will effectively serve as a referendum on a state law that bans transgender people from using government-run restrooms that match their gender identity and limits protections for gays and lesbians. Signed by Republican Governor Pat McCrory in March, the law has been blamed for hundreds of millions of dollars in economic losses and the relocation of major sporting events from the ninth largest U.S. state. Opponents of the law say the vote on Tuesday also could have national implications. If McCrory loses to Democratic challenger Roy Cooper, they said, elected officials backing such measures in other states will face greater political risk.  “I believe a strong message already has been sent to lawmakers across the country,” said Chad Griffin, president of the Human Rights Campaign, the nation’s largest lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer (LGBTQ) civil rights organization. “I believe and hope on Election Day that an even stronger message will be sent.” The advocacy group has joined with Equality North Carolina for a broad effort to boost voter turnout and unseat McCrory and other supporters of the law known as House Bill 2. The organizations are targeting about 400,000 pro-equality voters in the state, including an estimated 255,800 LGBT voters, Griffin said. The Human Rights Campaign said that voting bloc could make a difference in a presidential swing state where Democrat Barack Obama won by about 14,000 votes in 2008 and Republican Mitt Romney led by about 92,000 votes in 2012. “There’s no question this is going to be a very close race at the top of the ticket, and the LGBTQ voting bloc really has the ability to impact the outcome of this election,” said Chris Sgro, executive director of Equality North Carolina. RACE A TOSS-UP Elections experts consider the race between McCrory and Cooper, one of 12 U.S. gubernatorial seats being decided on Tuesday, to be among the country’s most competitive.  Public opinion polls have been tight most of the year, though the RealClearPolitics average of recent surveys shows Cooper with a slight advantage. A Reuters/Ipsos opinion poll found that, among residents who expect to vote, 38 percent were less likely to support McCrory’s re-election bid as a result of the law and its fallout, compared with 32 percent who were more likely to support him. The poll was conducted online in English between Oct. 6 and Oct. 19. It included 1,233 likely voters and had a credibility interval, a measure of accuracy, of 3 percentage points. Other polls have shown a majority of residents believe the law is hurting the state. McCrory, who in 2012 became North Carolina’s first Republican governor in two decades, has blamed the backlash against the law on national groups trying to redefine gender and “basic norms of privacy.” Cooper says the law is discriminatory, and he has made McCrory’s support for it a central issue of his campaign. An ad campaign launched last week by the conservative NC Values Coalition accuses Cooper, the state’s attorney general since 2001, of putting women and children at risk by refusing to defend H.B. 2. “By not defending it, he’s allowing men into women’s bathrooms,” the group’s executive director, Tami Fitzgerald, said in a phone interview. “We think that just goes too far.” “Equality NC and HRC have made North Carolina ground zero for their radical LGBT agenda,” she added. “But I believe that their efforts will fail.” At early voting sites in North Carolina this week, the issue appeared to be galvanizing people on both sides. “I admire McCrory for standing behind H.B. 2,” said Republican Parker Umstead, 81, a certified public accountant who cast a ballot in Winston-Salem for the incumbent. “It takes courage to stand up for your beliefs.” But Holly Carpenter, a 41-year-old Republican from Cary who works in the medical field, cited the measure as the prime reason why she voted against McCrory, whom she supported in 2012. “To lose so many economic opportunities over that was just a huge negative for me,” she said. politicsNews
Your task is to classify the provided input as real or fake news. Label 0 is meant for fake news, Label 1 is for real news. TEXT: battle bathrooms looms large north carolina governor reuters in year police shooting protests historic hurricane flooding voting rights clashes north carolina battle bathrooms could prove pivotal tar heel state gubernatorial race the election effectively serve referendum state law bans transgender people using restrooms match gender identity limits protections gays lesbians signed republican governor pat mccrory march law blamed hundreds millions dollars economic losses relocation major sporting events ninth largest state opponents law say vote tuesday also could national implications if mccrory loses democratic challenger roy cooper said elected officials backing measures states face greater political risk i believe strong message already sent lawmakers across country said chad griffin president human rights campaign nation largest lesbian gay bisexual transgender queer lgbtq civil rights organization i believe hope election day even stronger message the advocacy group joined equality north carolina broad effort boost voter turnout unset mccrory supporters law known house bill the organizations targeting voters state including estimated lgbt voters griffin said the human rights campaign said voting bloc could make difference presidential swing state democrat barack obama votes republican mitt romney led votes there question going close race top ticket lgbtq voting bloc really ability impact outcome election said chris gro executive director equality north carolina race a elections experts consider race mccrory cooper one gubernatorial seats decided tuesday among country competitive public opinion polls tight year though realclearpolitics average recent surveys shows cooper slight advantage a opinion poll found among residents expect vote percent less likely support mccrory bid result law fallout compared percent likely support the poll conducted online english it included likely voters credibility interval measure accuracy percentage points other polls shown majority residents believe law hurting state mccrory became north carolina first republican governor two decades blamed backlash law national groups trying redefine gender basic norms cooper says law discriminatory made mccrory support central issue campaign an ad campaign launched last week conservative nc values coalition accuses cooper state attorney general since putting women children risk refusing defend by defending allowing men women bathrooms group executive director tamil fitzgerald said phone interview we think goes equality nc hrc made north carolina ground zero radical lgbt agenda added but i believe efforts at early voting sites north carolina week issue appeared galvanizing people sides i admire mccrory standing behind said republican parker instead certified public accountant cast ballot incumbent it takes courage stand but holly carpenter republican car works medical field cited measure prime reason voted mccrory supported to lose many economic opportunities huge negative said politicsnews