“Traditional” chicken sandwich.

Virginia Gov. Bob McDonnell waded into the still-simmering debate over Chick-fil-A today, saying that he didn’t think that the fried chicken purveyor should be denied permits because of its donations to organizations that oppose same-sex marriage, a threat some elected officials have made in recent weeks.

“I love chicken. If we start having governments issue permits or zoning changes, or withholding those because of someone’s political or religious beliefs, we are going down a very bad road. I think people have an ability to start and grow a business regardless of their political beliefs,” he said on WTOP’s Ask the Governor this morning.

Elected officials in Boston and Chicago have warned that they could use their city’s regulatory process to deny Chick-fil-A the necessary permits to set up shop, a claim that has provoked a stern rebuke from conservatives and the ACLU alike. Mayor Vince Gray and Mayor Michael Bloomberg have played closer to the middle, saying that while they may not like Chick-fil-A’s political beliefs, they won’t do anything to interfere with their ability to expand into either city.

On that happy note, I’ll be on WAMU’s The Kojo Nnamdi Show tomorrow discussing this very issue, so tune in from 1-2 p.m. to hear intelligent discussion (and whatever I have to contribute) on how consumers decide where to eat and what to avoid.