'Godless' lawsuit dropped against Dole

WASHINGTON – U.S. Sen.-elect Kay Hagan this afternoon dismissed her lawsuit against the woman she defeated, U.S. Sen. Elizabeth Dole, over an advertisement that Hagan said attacked her personal faith.

Dole, a Republican, had launched an ad in the last week of the campaign tying Hagan to a political action group called “Godless Americans” that promotes the separation of church and state. The advertisement ended with a photo of Hagan and another woman’s voice saying, “There is no God.”

Hagan, a Democrat, attended a fundraiser in August at the Boston home of a couple who is active in the group. The fundraiser also was hosted by U.S. Sen. John Kerry. Dole’s campaign staff later said the advertisement was meant to highlight Hagan’s judgement.

Hagan, an elder in her Presbyterian church, responded with her own ad. She accused Dole of attacking her Christian faith, and she filed a lawsuit in Wake County Superior Court.

She dismissed that suit today.

Spokeswoman Colleen Flanagan said Hagan wanted to focus on solving problems and working across party lines.

“This lawsuit would just continue the focus on a very personal and negative attack against Kay, instead of focusing on the people of North Carolina,” Flanagan said in a prepared statement. “We need leadership now more than ever, and Kay is prepared to get down to work with (Republican Sen.) Richard Burr and the rest of the North Carolina delegation and help the people of this state.”