Just before approving the party platform Saturday, Republican delegates voted to soften the language on gambling, meeting a floor above the pit where machines chimed and dice rolled. The platform statement against it – “we oppose gambling, including the state lottery” – was amended to include a phrase affirming “the rights of the individual” to gamble. It spurred a brief floor fight as the delegate that proposed the amendment lauded the casino’s economic boost for the area, saying “for us to make a platform that kills jobs is against our Republican way of life.” A Mecklenburg County delegate rose to oppose the amendment, saying “there are many people down below us right now with their lives being ruined. This is not how we ... grow our economy in North Carolina.”Get the Story: