Kay Hagan Profile
United States Senator for North Carolina
Background
Senator Hagan was born in Shelby, North Carolina. A graduate of Florida State University and Wake Forest Law School, she worked at North Carolina National Bank (a predecessor to Bank of America) for 10 years, becoming a vice president in the estates and trust division. She left the bank to spend more time with her children and was an active participant in her Greensboro community, becoming involved in local charities, and shuttling carpools to soccer practices.
Political Career
Senator Hagan and her husband were both active in Guilford County Democratic politics, and in 1992 and 1996, Governor Jim Hunt asked her to run his gubernatorial campaign in Guilford County. In 1998, Senator Hagan ran for the North Carolina State Senate, where she served for 10 years and co-chaired the Budget Committee.
Family
She and her husband, Chip Hagan, have lived in Greensboro for more than 30 years and raised their three children there: Jeanette, Tilden, and Carrie.
Political Positions
Abortion
Planned Parenthood quotes her as saying "I would like to see abortions be safe, legal, and rare. These decisions are best made privately by a woman in consultation with her doctor." She has been endorsed by EMILY's list, an organization dedicated to electing pro-choice democratic women to office.
Health Care
In December 2009, Hagan voted for the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act and later voted for Health Care and Education Reconciliation Act of 2010. On September 27, 2013, Hagan voted to restore funding for the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act.
Immigration
On December 18, 2010, Hagan was one of only five Democrats to vote against the DREAM Act which would grant immigrants permenant citizenship if they completed a certain amount of educational requirements.
Gay Rights/Marriage
On December 18, 2010, Hagan voted in favor of the Don't Ask, Don't Tell Repeal Act of 2010. Hagan opposed North Carolina's Amendment 1, a measure that defined marriage as a union between one man and one woman in North Carolina's Constitution. Then on March 27, 2013, Hagan announced her support of gay marriage.
Stance on Minimum Wage
Senator Hagan was an advocate of raising minimum wage and as co-chair of the state Budget Committee, she made record investments in education, raised teacher pay, and increased the minimum wage, all while cutting taxes, increasing the state’s “Rainy Day” fund, and balancing five straight budgets.