Maine news, sports, weather from Portland Press Herald / Maine Sunday Telegram, Portland, Maine

The National Organization for Marriage plans to spend $500,000 this weekend in an effort to reach 10 million people before Tuesday's vote on gay marriage, the group announced today.

The robocalls will go out in Maine, Maryland, Washington, Wisconsin, Ohio and Pennsylvania. They are targeting Maine, Maryland and Washington, because that's were voters will decide the fate of three ballot initiatives on gay marriage. They chose Wisconsin, Ohio and Pennsylvania because they are presidential swing states.

The calls will be from James Dobson, founder of Focus on the Family; Florida Sen. Marco Rubio; and former Arkansas governor and presidential candidate Mike Huckabee.

"These calls from leaders in public life will remind voters to go to the polls, to protect marriage, and to support public officials who will do the same," Brian Brown, executive director of NOM, said in a press release. "Along with advertising and other mobilization efforts we have undertaken, which are unprecedented in their scale, we are confident that Election Day 2012 will mark a triumph for marriage and family in the United States."

National groups on both sides will continue to play an active role through Tuesday in Maine. On Thursday night, the president of the Human Rights Campaign, Chad Griffin, spoke at a pro-gay-marriage rally in Portland, as did the political director for Freedom to Marry.

Both sides have emphasized the results from Tuesday's votes as having national implications moving forward on the issue of gay marriage. Where gay marriage is legal -- six states and the District of Columbia -- it's on the books because of lawmakers or the courts, but not popular vote.

About the Author

Subscribe to the
Open Season RSS

Open Season targets all of Maine's political wildlife, from Portland city government to the donkeys, elephants and independents stalking the Statehouse and U.S. Capitol.

John Richardson joined the Press Herald in 1990 after working as a reporter in New Jersey. He has covered a variety of beats, including marine issues, the environment and health care. He is now covering politics and focusing on Maine's U.S. Senate race.
John can be reached at 791-6324 or jrichardson@pressherald.com
On Twitter: @jrichmaine

Colin Woodard has covered politics and elections for more than two decades, from Bosnia and Bucharest to Washington, D.C., Augusta, and Portland City Hall. He has written for a wide range of national and international publications and is the author of four books, including "American Nations," a history of North America's regional cultures. He joined the Portland Press Herald at the end of April and covers political finance and lobbying, among other things.
Colin can be reached at 791-6317 or cwoodard@pressherald.com

Susan Cover has covered Maine politics for 10 years and worked in Kansas, Ohio and Rhode Island as a reporter. This year, she is focusing on covering the same-sex marriage debate for MaineToday Media.
Susan can be reached at 621-5643 or scover@mainetoday.com

Michael Shepherd joined MaineToday Media in May 2012 after graduating from the University of Maine in Orono, where he edited The Maine Campus, the student newspaper there. Until November he'll be writing the Truth Test, a recurring feature analyzing political statements and advertising.
Michael can be reached at 621-5632 or mshepherd@mainetoday.com

Subscribe to the
Open Season RSS

Previous entries