North Carolina state Sen. David Hoyle (D-Gaston) announced Dec. 9 he’d step down at the end of his term in 2010. Hoyle, chairman of the Senate’s Finance Committee, had been considered the third most powerful member of the Senate’s leadership, after President Pro Tempore Marc Basnight and former Majority Leader Tony Rand.

One advocate thinks the senator’s consistent, conservative social views might have played a key role in the body’s slow progress on pro-equality issues.

N.C. state Sen. David Hoyle (D-Gaston) opposed pro-equality legislation and co-sponsored a constitutional amendment on marriage.

“Sen. Hoyle worked to prevent pro-equality legislation from coming to a vote in the Senate,” Equality North Carolina Executive Director Ian Palmquist told InterstateQ.com, “and I believe that played a role in why the Senate didn’t vote on any inclusive legislation until this year, when we won passage of the School Violence Prevention Act.”

Hoyle co-sponsored only one pro-LGBT bill, state employment non-discrimination legislation, during his almost two decade-long service in the Senate. Despite the co-sponsorship, Palmquist said Hoyle opposed bring that 2007 bill to a vote and didn’t sign on as a co-sponsor in this year’s legislative session.

The Democrat from Gaston County — a suburban district west of Charlotte — has co-sponsored an anti-LGBT, anti-family constitutional amendment on marriage originally sponsored and introduced by Republican Sen. James Forrester, also of Gaston County. Hoyle did not sign on as a sponsor for this year’s Healthy Youth Act, a comprehensive sex ed curriculum bill, or the School Violence Prevention Act, an LGBT-inclusive anti-bullying bill. He voted against both bills.

Hoyle’s anti-gay record is a stark reminder that not all North Carolina Democrats are necessarily progressive or friendly on LGBT issues.

But in light of that conservative record, the Associated Press reminds us Hoyle did stand up for some good causes :

Hoyle shepherded many bills through the Legislature designed to protect public records and keep government meetings open, including a 1999 law giving reporters limited immunity against testifying in court. The “shield law” is considered a model nationwide, media law attorney John Bussian said.

Hoyle “is a guardian angel of open government,” Bussian said. “He will be dearly missed.”

Palmquist said he didn’t consider Hoyle’s open government stances as “solely a progressive issue.”

“Sen. Hoyle is known for his conservative positions on many social issues and is the business community’s go-to legislator, but few legislators fit completely in the progressive or conservative column,” he said.

Hoyle is the second high profile Democratic leader to announce his exit from the Senate. Tony Rand, who’s already stepped down from his majority leader role, will also resign at the end of his term. Rand’s replacement, Martin Nesbitt of Buncombe County, is a friend to the community.

The changes in leadership, the worsening public opinion over the economy and controversy over scandals by former Democratic elected officials have some worried about a possible switch in party control.

As I reported in Q-Notes on Nov. 28:

Nesbitt’s election has sparked discussion on the future of the state’s Senate and House leadership and control. Given the economic downturn and general disapproval from voters, next year’s midterm elections are widely expected to be difficult for incumbents and controlling parties at all levels of government.

“Certainly the Democratic leadership is taking very seriously the possibility of losing seats and possibly losing the majority,” said Palmquist. “They are working hard to recruit candidates where they need to and make sure candidates are raising money in the districts in order to fend off the opposition.”

Palmquist warns that a switch in party leadership could result in tragedy for LGBT equality in North Carolina.

“Given the leadership of the Republican Party, with Paul Stam and Phil Berger, if either chamber were to switch it is very likely that we would see negative legislation move, including the marriage discrimination constitutional amendment, potentially negative legislation on adoption and probably a repeal of the enumerated categories in the [School Violence Prevention Act],” Palmquist said.

North Carolina House Speaker Joe Hackney recently said he expects Democratic victories and pick-ups in 2010.