Hillary Clinton Raises LGBT Issues in Anderson Cooper's Town Hall

When asked about what she's looking for in a potential Supreme Court justice, the Democratic frontrunner took a stand for LGBT rights.

Dawn Ennis

The Advocate's news editor Dawn Ennis successfully transitioned from broadcast journalism to online media following another transition that made headlines; in 2013, she became the first trans staffer in any major TV network newsroom. As the first out transgender editor at The Advocate, the native New Yorker continues her 30-year media career, in which she has earned more than a dozen awards, including two Emmys. With the blessing of her three children, Dawn retains the most important job title she's ever held: Dad.

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Dawn Ennis

February 03 2016 10:30 PM EST

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CNN out anchor Anderson Cooper hosted a Democratic presidential primary town hall in Derry, N.H. Wednesday night, giving both Bernie Sanders and Hillary Clinton an opportunity to answer voters' questions.

Although no one chosen by CNN to pose a question asked about LGBT issues, frontrunner Hillary Clinton introduced the topic in answer to a question about what she would look for in Supreme Court Justices.

"We have to preserve marriage equality. We have to go further to end discrimination against the LGBT community," Clinton said, telling the crowd in the Derry Opera House that the Republican candidates are "doing everything they can to turn the clock back," on several issues.

"We've got to make sure to preserve Roe v. Wade, not be nibbled away, or repealed. We've got work to do."

Clinton repeated her pledge to fight for marriage equality and to end LGBT discrimination in her closing remarks.

Although Sanders did not directly address LGBT issues in his portion of the CNN town hall, earlier Wednesday Real Clear Politics reported he told CNN Clinton isn't like any progressive he knows.

"Most progressives were against the so-called defense of marriage act way back in 1996," Sanders told CNN's Wolf Blitzer, referring to the law declaring marriage to be between one man and one woman, signed by Clinton's husband, President Bill Clinton, and overturned by the Supreme Court in 2013.