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In an email sent out today, Courage Campaign's founder Rick Jacobs announces that he's "shocked and amazed" that the organizations membership raised $77,905 in just 24 hours. Yesterday, an email was sent out, reminding the membership that they had less than 60 hours to raise $41,967 to meet the $100,000 goal with an August 13 deadline.The membership beat its deadline by two days, raising a total of $135,998 that the organization "will immediately invest in research, polling and focus groups to repeal Prop 8."
"Of course, we can't do this alone," Jacobs writes. "That's why we also challenged our friends in the marriage equality movement to raise an additional $100,000 to place the most effective initiative possible on the 2010 ballot. With confidence that the shared costs of this research will be paid for, we are pushing ahead to file a ballot measure."
In the same email, Steve Hildebrand, who was Obama's Deputy National Campaign Manager, expresses support for a 2010 ballot initiative, but also reminds the membership that Maine is "ground zero in the fight for marriage equality."
But before we can take this pivotal battle for marriage equality to the ballot in California in 2010, we have to win in Maine in 2009.Whether or not you support going back to the ballot in 2010 here in California, Maine doesn't have a choice on timing. They must defend their right to marry this November, 2009! And they can use all the help they can get.
Yes, Maine. Right now, our friends at the pro-equality "No on 1" campaign in Maine are working around the clock to defeat a referendum on the November ballot that would strip LGBT couples of marriage rights just granted by Maine's state legislature and governor.
Sound familiar? Well, it gets worse. Guess who is running the anti-equality "Stand for Marriage Maine" campaign? Frank Schubert and Schubert Flint Public Affairs, the same front group for the religious right that ran the Proposition 8 campaign to strip LGBT couples of their marriage rights in California.
Maine is now ground zero in the fight for marriage equality -- and the first statewide battle for civil marriage rights since Prop 8 passed. That's why I need Courage Campaign members to dig deep right now and donate $25, $50, $100 or more on ActBlue to our friends at the "No on 1" campaign in Maine.
Emboldened by their victory in California, the religious right is now moving on Maine -- and building an early fundraising advantage. The same right-wing groups who funded Frank Schubert's fear-mongering TV ads in California are now the largest donors to his "Stand for Marriage Maine" campaign:Clearly, what happens in Maine will have serious consequences for the fight in California.
- National Organization for Marriage - $160,000
- Knights of Columbus - $50,000
- Focus on the Family - $31,000
You can either donate or visit the NO on 1 campaign's website to see how you can get involved. There are plenty of ways to help, no matter where you live.
This is very good news. I have already contributed to the Maine campaign and am eager to contribute to the California campaign, but only if there will actually be a campaign. Courage Campaign is aptly named. Wish the same thing could be said about Equality California, who not only screwed up the 2008 campaign but seem intent on sabotaging a 2010 campaign.
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