Mark Kleinschmidt is used to wearing multiple hats: Chapel Hill mayor, same-sex marriage advocate, defense attorney and, on Jan. 20, MSNBC correspondent.
Now, some town residents have suggested on Twitter that he should add another — N.C. gubernatorial candidate.
“It’s hard for me to even evaluate that prospect right now,” he said. “I would suspect that the challenges at this time in history are probably insurmountable for me.”
But he says he has plenty to keep him busy in Chapel Hill.
This month, Kleinschmidt appeared on MSNBC to talk to Thomas Roberts about the Mayors for the Freedom to Marry Initiative, the creation of which was announced at the U.S. Conference of Mayors this month.
The group aims to end marriage discrimination, and Kleinschmidt is one of more than 70 mayors involved.
Kleinschmidt said that in past years, he was among the few openly gay mayors who have worked together on this issue. But at this year’s conference, both gay and straight mayors led the effort. Kleinschmidt said he appreciates the change.
“We’ve often felt like we’ve been working against the grain, kind of fighting back the tide,” he said. “This has been an amazing experience for me to see that now, the tide is with us.”
Kleinschmidt said young voters have contributed to that support and will be the deciding factor in turning back the N.C. Defense of Marriage Amendment, which will be put to vote in the May primaries.
“Younger people understand these equality issues and appreciate them more than other generations,” Kleinschmidt said.
Lee Storrow, the youngest Town Council member, agrees that young people will be a major part of the decision and he appreciates the work that Kleinschmidt has done.
“I think it’s great that he has partnered with other mayors to work on what is the civil rights issue of our time,” Storrow said.
With a background in social justice, Kleinschmidt also worked as executive director of the Fair Trial Initiative, a law firm in Durham that aims to provide defendants facing the death penalty with a fair trial.
“He’s a great leader; he’s compassionate, and he listens well,” said Anthony Traurig, an Osborn Fellow at the Fair Trial Initiative.
Kleinschmidt left his position at the firm on Dec. 31 and plans to begin work in a Chapel Hill private practice. The details are not yet final, but Kleinschmidt said he will continue to work on the death penalty and will begin general practice as well.
And rather than concentrating on a state or national campaign, Kleinschmidt said he is focusing his efforts on Chapel Hill 2020.
“The biggest thing we’re working on now is visioning our next decade,” he said. He also hopes to involve younger residents and students.
“It’s important for students at the University to look beyond their short time here at Chapel Hill,” he said. “We have to do our part for the people who come after us.”
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