North Carolinian politico Kay Hagan garnered some gay sympathy yesterday after it was revealed that her state's Republican party had launched a homophobic campaign against the Senatorial candidate, whom they claim will usher in the fearsome "radical homosexual agenda."

Libertarian candidate and gay man Christopher Cole saw our report and scoffed at the description of Hagan as "gay-friendly." And, to prove his point, Mr. Cole sent us this article, which reads:

The reality is that Hagan has been silent on gay marriage, even when directly asked.

The NC Family Policy Council distributed a candidate questionnaire that explicitly included the marriage issue. The answers clearly distinguish Libertarian Cole as supporting equality under the law, Dole opposed. Hagan? Silent.

Out in Asheville, a gay-market newspaper in the western end of the state, published a voter guide, in which neither Dole nor Hagan spoke to their reporter. Libertarian Cole did, and is quoted strongly in favor of equality under the law.

As an openly-gay man himself, Libertarian Christopher Cole has a personal and moral perspective on the legal treatment of gay and lesbian folks. Maybe that is why the Republicans attack the tongue-tied Hagan, but not the outspoken Cole.

Well, they probably attacked Hagan because she's got more of a shot of beating out Elizabeth Dole than Cole, but what do we know?