The National Organization for Marriage
(NOM) has donated $500,000 to the campaign working to defeat gay
marriage in Maine.
The matching donation was reported by
the AP, which also quoted Mike McTighe, campaign manager for Mainers
United for Marraige, as saying that NOM plans to spend $385,000 on
advertising in the three weeks prior to Election Day.
Marriage equality supporters are
returning the issue to the ballot box after voters in 2009 narrowly
repealed a marriage law approved by lawmakers with a “people's
veto,” known as Question 1. If approved, Maine would become the
first state to legalize such unions with a popular vote.
Mainers United for Marriage this week
stepped up its marriage equality campaign, announcing a $100,000
television campaign at a rally held Monday at Portland City Hall.
“My greatest hope is that the first
marriage ceremony to be performed after the election in November will
be here in Portland at City Hall,” Portland Mayor Michael Brennan
told supporters.
The group's first ad features Pastor
Michael Gray and his wife Robyn calling on Mainers to legalize such
unions. (The video is embedded on this page. Visit
our video library for more videos.)
According
to a recent poll, 57 percent of Mainers support gay marriage,
while 35 percent remain opposed.