Today, the Human Rights Campaign, the nation’s largest lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) civil rights organization, launched an online ad campaign urging governors in 12 states to reject bills that would put LGBT people at risk for discrimination like the religious refusal bill passed earlier this year in Indiana. The media campaign comes after HRC sent a new case study to state lawmakers across the country showing that a stunning 75 percent of Hoosiers report that Gov. Mike Pence’s push for the “religious refusal” bill has damaged Indiana’s business climate. “Gov. Mike Pence found that experimenting with anti-LGBT bills that allow businesses to discriminate killed his approval ratings and damaged the Hoosier economy,” said JoDee Winterhof, HRC Vice President for Policy and Political Affairs. “Governors who go down the same path as Mike Pence and put their state economy at risk in an attempt to further discrimination are going to find themselves at risk of being rejected by the voters.” The campaign (below) starts running on social media today in Alabama, Florida, Indiana, Louisiana, Michigan, Missouri, New Hampshire, North Carolina, North Dakota, Ohio, South Carolina, and Texas.

View the full case study released by HRC study HERE. The document showcases a new poll of Hoosiers by the Human Rights Campaign. That poll showed that a stunning 75 percent of Hoosiers report that Gov. Mike Pence’s push for the “religious refusal” bill has damaged Indiana’s business climate. It also showed that, when asked, “Do you think businesses should or should not be allowed to refuse service to someone because of their sexual orientation or gender identity,” voters said businesses should not discriminate by an overwhelming margin of 70 to 24. A majority of Republican voters (58 to 36) said that businesses should not be allowed to discriminate. The case study shows how the political environment has deteriorated significantly for Gov. Pence. More Hoosiers now think the state is on the “wrong track” than on the “right track,” – his personal approval ratings have plummeted – and he’s now tied with a potential Democratic challenger, in a state that President Obama lost by 10 points in 2012. 53 percent of likely voters said the debate left them with a less favorable opinion of Pence.

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