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Representative
Larry Pittman
Member of the North Carolina House of Representatives
In office
October 10, 2011 – January 1, 2023
Preceded by Jeff Barnhart
Succeeded by Diamond Staton-Williams (Redistricting)
Constituency 82nd District (2011–2019)
83rd District (2019–2023)
Personal details
Born
Larry Graham Pittman

(1954-09-30) September 30, 1954 (age 69)
Kinston, North Carolina
Political party Republican
SpouseTammy
Children2
Residence Concord, North Carolina
Education New Bern High School
Alma mater Mount Olive Junior College ( AS)
Atlantic Christian College ( BA)
Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary ( MDiv)
OccupationPastor

Larry Graham Pittman (born September 30, 1954) is a former Republican member of the North Carolina House of Representatives. [1] He represented the 83rd district (and the preceding 82nd district) (including constituents in Cabarrus County) from 2011 to 2023. [2]

North Carolina General Assembly

Pittman was first appointed to the North Carolina House of Representatives on October 10, 2011, to replace fellow Republican Jeff Barnhart who resigned to join a consulting firm. Pittman has been re-elected to the seat a total of 5 times, most recently in 2020. On February 4, 2021, Pittman announced that he wouldn't seek re-election in 2022. [3]

In February 2017, Pittman co-sponsored a bill allowing the removal of the ban on North Carolina seceding from the Union ever again. In March 2017 he co-sponsored a bill to once again make gay marriages not valid in North Carolina. Responding to criticisms to both bills, Pittman made controversial statements that were widely reported in the news media. [4] [5] [6] In March 2016, Pittman was a co-sponsor of North Carolina's Bathroom bill. [7]

Honors In 2018, and again in 2020, Pittman was listed as a Champion of the Family in the NC Values Coalition Scorecard. [8]

HB 147

In February 2017, Pittman joined with Representatives Michael Speciale (R-Craven) and George Cleveland (R-Jacksonville) in proposing a constitutional amendment that would allow North Carolina voters to repeal Article I, Section 4 of the North Carolina Constitution. This article declares that "This State shall ever remain a member of the American Union; the people thereof are part of the American nation," and prohibits the state from seceding from the United States of America; its inclusion in North Carolina’s 1868 constitution was a condition for being readmitted into the Union after the Civil War. [9] The bill passed the first reading on February 22, 2017, and was referred to the Committee on Rules, Calendar, and Operations of the House. [10]

HB 780

Pittman, Speciale, and Representative Carl Ford (R-China Grove) sponsored House Bill 780, which was introduced on March 14, 2017. This bill would end North Carolina's recognition of same sex marriage in disregard of the US Supreme Court ruling in Obergefell v. Hodges and cites the Bible as justification for this disregard. [11] The bill passed the first reading on April 13, 2017, and was referred to the Committee on Rules, Calendar, and Operations of the House. [12] On the same day, however, state house speaker Tim Moore stated that the bill would not proceed further due to concerns about its constitutionality. In North Carolina, it is a common practice for bills that lack the support of party leadership to be sent to the Rules Committee to die. [13] [14]

HB 158

In February 2021, Pittman and North Carolina House Representative Mark Brody introduced House Bill 158, which aimed to classify abortion as first-degree murder. [15] [16]

Controversial statements

On March 22, 2017, Pittman posted a newsletter on his Facebook page, giving his constituents an update on his activities. Numerous constituents posted comments, and Pittman responded with controversial statements.

On June 15, 2020, the NC lawmaker posted on his Facebook page calling Seattle BLM protesters 'thugs' and 'vermin' and suggested police 'shoot' those resisting arrest. [17]

U.S. Supreme Court opinion

In response to a commenter's criticism of HB 780, Pittman posted a comment on April 11, 2017, stating that North Carolina should uphold traditional marriage "in spite of the opinion of a federal court that had no business interfering." [18] [19]

Lincoln-Hitler comparison

Pittman's post in reference to the U.S. Supreme Court led to several comments on states' rights and a post telling Pittman that the Civil War was over, the Union had won, and to "get over it". Pittman responded in a post on April 12, 2017, saying: "And if Hitler had won, should the world just get over it? Lincoln was the same sort if [sic] tyrant, and personally responsible for the deaths of over 800,000 Americans in a war that was unnecessary and unconstitutional." [17] [18] [20] He later deleted the post. [19]

Climate change statement

In July 2012, Pittman issued a statement rejecting the scientific consensus on climate change: "Our climate runs on a cycle. It goes up and it goes down and the Lord designed it that way. And the main thing that causes global warming is the Earth's relationship to a big ball of gas that's burning out there that we call the Sun. And it is the height of hubris for human beings to think that we can have any effect on that." [21]

Appropriate use of force

In a June 2020 Facebook post, during the nationwide protests following the murder of George Floyd, Pittman called protesters "vermin" and "thugs" and opined that if they "resist and attack" police should shoot them. [17] [22]

Electoral history

2020

North Carolina House of Representatives 83rd district Republican primary election, 2020 [23]
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Larry Pittman (incumbent) 4,798 60.72%
Republican Jay White 3,104 39.28%
Total votes 7,902 100%
North Carolina House of Representatives 83rd district general election, 2020 [24]
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Larry Pittman (incumbent) 27,904 51.26%
Democratic Gail Young 26,534 48.74%
Total votes 54,438 100%
Republican hold

2018

North Carolina House of Representatives 83rd district Republican primary election, 2018 [25]
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Larry Pittman (incumbent) 2,596 63.61%
Republican Michael Anderson 1,485 36.39%
Total votes 4,081 100%
North Carolina House of Representatives 83rd district general election, 2018 [26]
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Larry Pittman (incumbent) 14,798 52.78%
Democratic Gail Young 13,240 47.22%
Total votes 28,038 100%
Republican hold

2016

North Carolina House of Representatives 82nd district Republican primary election, 2016 [27]
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Larry Pittman (incumbent) 5,672 52.82%
Republican Michael Fischer 5,066 47.18%
Total votes 10,738 100%
North Carolina House of Representatives 82nd district general election, 2016 [28]
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Larry Pittman (incumbent) 24,636 57.92%
Democratic Earle Schecter 17,900 42.08%
Total votes 42,536 100%
Republican hold

2014

North Carolina House of Representatives 82nd district Republican primary election, 2014 [29]
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Larry Pittman (incumbent) 3,082 62.22%
Republican Leigh Thomas Brown 1,871 37.78%
Total votes 4,953 100%
North Carolina House of Representatives 82nd district general election, 2014 [30]
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Larry Pittman (incumbent) 13,818 59.50%
Democratic Earle H. Schecter 9,404 40.50%
Total votes 23,222 100%
Republican hold

2012

North Carolina House of Representatives 82nd district Republican primary election, 2012 [31]
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Larry Pittman (incumbent) 4,292 51.46%
Republican Jay White 4,049 48.54%
Total votes 8,341 100%
North Carolina House of Representatives 82nd district general election, 2012 [32]
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Larry Pittman (incumbent) 24,674 100%
Total votes 24,674 100%
Republican hold

2010

North Carolina House of Representatives 82nd district Republican primary election, 2010 [33]
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Jeff Barnhart (incumbent) 2,955 59.40%
Republican Larry Pittman 2,020 40.60%
Total votes 4,975 100%

2008

North Carolina House of Representatives 82nd district Republican primary election, 2008 [34]
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Jeff Barnhart (incumbent) 2,747 57.67%
Republican Larry Pittman 2,016 42.33%
Total votes 4,763 100%

References

  1. ^ "Larry Pittman's Biography - The Voter's Self Defense System". Vote Smart. Retrieved February 20, 2022.
  2. ^ "North Carolina General Assembly - Representative Larry G. Pittman (Republican, 2015-2016 Session)". www.ncleg.net. Retrieved February 7, 2016.
  3. ^ Matt Mercer (February 4, 2021). "Firebrand Rep. Larry Pittman retiring at end of term". North State Media LLC. Retrieved February 20, 2022.
  4. ^ Sziemasko, Corky (April 13, 2017). "North Carolina Politician Under Fire for Comparing Abraham Lincoln to Hitler". NBC News. Retrieved April 15, 2017.
  5. ^ Holley, Peter (April 12, 2017). "A Southern lawmaker called Lincoln a 'tyrant' and compared him to Hitler". The Washington Post. Retrieved April 15, 2017.
  6. ^ Gerretsen, Isabelle (April 13, 2017). "North Lawmaker Larry Pittman Calls Lincoln a 'Tyrant' like Hitler". Newsweek. Retrieved April 15, 2017.
  7. ^ "House Bill 2". General Assembly of North Carolina Session 2016. March 23, 2016. Retrieved April 15, 2017.
  8. ^ "NC Values Coalition Legislative Scorecard". Retrieved September 1, 2020.
  9. ^ Colin Campbell (February 21, 2017). "NC constitution's ban on secession could be dropped under House bill". Charlotte Observer. Retrieved April 13, 2017.
  10. ^ "House Bill 147". General Assembly of North Carolina Session 2017. February 22, 2017. Retrieved April 15, 2017.
  11. ^ "Uphold Historical Marriage Act. – HOUSE BILL DRH10214-MM-60 (03/14)". GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF NORTH CAROLINA SESSION 2017. April 11, 2017. Retrieved April 13, 2017.
  12. ^ "House Bill 780". NCGA North Carolina General Assembly. April 13, 2017. Retrieved April 14, 2017.
  13. ^ Campbell, Colin (April 13, 2017). "Proposed gay marriage ban is dead in NC House, speaker says". The News & Observer.
  14. ^ Laura Leslie; Matthew Burns (April 11, 2017). "House speaker: Gay marriage ban bill going nowhere". WRAL-TV.
  15. ^ Mahdawi, Arwa (July 30, 2022). "Yes, Republicans really did try to make abortion punishable by death". TheGuardian.com. Retrieved March 14, 2024.
  16. ^ "House Bill DRH40068-MLy-38A". July 10, 2022. Archived from the original on July 10, 2022. Retrieved December 27, 2022.
  17. ^ a b c Billman, Jeffrey C. (April 12, 2017). "N.C. Representative Larry Pittman Calls Abraham Lincoln the "Same Sort [of] Tyrant" as Hitler and We Are Not Even Making That Up". Indyweek.com. Archived from the original on April 13, 2017. Retrieved April 13, 2017.
  18. ^ a b Morrill, Jim (April 12, 2017). "NC lawmaker calls Abraham Lincoln a 'tyrant' like Hitler". Charlotte Observer. Retrieved April 14, 2017.
  19. ^ a b Mazza, Ed (April 12, 2017). "GOP Lawmaker Compares 'Tyrant' Abraham Lincoln to Adolf Hitler". Huffington Post. Retrieved April 15, 2017.
  20. ^ Holley, Peter (April 12, 2017). "A Southern lawmaker called Lincoln a 'tyrant' and compared him to Hitler". The Washington Post. Retrieved April 13, 2017.
  21. ^ "Oliver: Trump pulling out of Paris accord could have 'catastrophic' effect". The Boston Globe. June 5, 2017. Retrieved March 14, 2024.
  22. ^ Morrill, Jim (June 16, 2020). "NC lawmaker blasts Black Lives Matter, calls protesters 'thugs' and 'vermin'". WBTV. Retrieved March 14, 2024.
  23. ^ "03/03/2020 Official Local Election Results - Statewide". North Carolina State Board of Elections. Retrieved March 14, 2024.
  24. ^ "11/03/2020 Official Local Election Results - Statewide". North Carolina State Board of Elections. Retrieved March 14, 2024.
  25. ^ "05/08/2018 Official Local Election Results - Statewide". North Carolina State Board of Elections. Retrieved March 14, 2024.
  26. ^ "11/06/2018 Official General Election Results - Statewide". North Carolina State Board of Elections. Retrieved March 14, 2024.
  27. ^ "03/15/2016 Official Primary Election Results - Statewide". North Carolina State Board of Elections. Retrieved March 14, 2024.
  28. ^ "11/08/2016 Official General Election Results - Statewide". North Carolina State Board of Elections. Retrieved March 14, 2024.
  29. ^ "05/06/2014 Official Primary Election Results - Statewide". North Carolina State Board of Elections. Retrieved March 14, 2024.
  30. ^ "11/04/2014 Official General Election Results - Statewide". North Carolina State Board of Elections. Retrieved March 14, 2024.
  31. ^ "05/08/2012 Official Primary Election Results - Statewide". North Carolina State Board of Elections. Retrieved March 14, 2024.
  32. ^ "11/06/2012 Official General Election Results - Statewide". North Carolina State Board of Elections. Retrieved March 14, 2024.
  33. ^ "05/04/2010 Official Primary Election Results - Statewide". North Carolina State Board of Elections. Retrieved March 14, 2024.
  34. ^ "05/06/2008 Official Primary Election Results - Statewide". North Carolina State Board of Elections. Retrieved March 14, 2024.
North Carolina House of Representatives
Preceded by Member of the North Carolina House of Representatives
from the 82nd district
2011–2019 		Succeeded by
Preceded by Member of the North Carolina House of Representatives
from the 83rd district
2019–2023 		Succeeded by
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