Freedom to Marry on Thursday announced
it's investing $800,000 in six states where lawmakers are considering
gay marriage bills: Delaware, Hawaii, Illinois, Minnesota, New Jersey
and Rhode Island.
“Building on our 4 for 4 ballot
victories in November, Freedom to Marry is calling on supporters to
join us in continuing the momentum and winning still more states in
2013,” Evan Wolfson, founder and president of Freedom to Marry,
said in a statement. “With the clock ticking on the Supreme
Court's review of marriage cases, we want to make as much progress as
we can – and with battles already under way now in state capitals,
we all need to put our money where our momentum is.”
The group said it hoped to raise and
invest $2 million toward securing marriage equality in 2013 through
its Win More States Fund.
Richard Carlbom, campaign manager for
Minnesotans United for All Families, said the contributions “couldn't
come at a more critical time.”
“As we move toward securing the
freedom to marry for our state, this investment shows the level of
commitment and confidence that soon all loving and committed couples
can join marriage in Minnesota. Freedom to Marry continues to be an
outstanding leader and partner to all those who believe love is love
and it belongs to everybody,” he said.
Ray Sullivan, campaign director for
Rhode Islanders United for Marriage, said his group was “thrilled
to have the support of Freedom to Marry.”