"WE DID IT!
By a 53-47 margin, voters in Maine won a decisive and historic victory for marriage by passing Question 1!
But each and everyone of you, who volunteered or donated to Stand for Marriage Maine, who forwarded an e-mail to a friend or neighbor, or who simply prayed fervently for the institution of marriage--today is your victory!
The importance of the win in Maine nationally can not be overstated.
Same-sex marriage activists saw Maine as their best chance to win a direct marriage vote. They thought it would stop the momentum we gained by passing Proposition 8 dead in its tracks--and reverse it.They thought, in their words, it "would break" our movement.
Instead, for the first time in history, the voters of a state have overturned the legislative enactment of same-sex marriage. New York, New Jersey and other states considering redefining marriage will now have to confront this blunt fact:The voters in a deep New England state have now joined 30 other states in directly affirming marriage as the union of one man and one woman.
If we can win in Maine, we can win anywhere.
From the beginning, NOM saw how high the stakes were in Maine. That's why we devoted such resources to the effort. We are the single largest donor to Stand for Marriage Maine. We gave nearly $1.8 million, emptying our bank account because of the serious needs in Maine.
Even so, we were outspent 2-1, given little chance to win in the media, and saw our ads pilloried by Maine's elites. But we kept fighting, kept hope alive, and continued to focus on our message--same-sex marriage has clear consequences. And we won.
In my capacity as an executive committee member of Stand for Marriage Maine, I have had the privilege of getting to know and work with campaign chairman Mark Mutty and Rev. Bob Emrich. Both have been tireless defenders of marriage and deserve our nation's thanks.
Bishop Richard Malone of the Diocese of Portland provided invaluable leadership, inspiring not only the Catholic faithful, but voters across denominational lines. Frank Schubert and Jeff Flint of Schubert Flint Public Affairs, masterfully guided Question 1 to victory.
They are simply the best at what they do, and our movement in Maine and around the country would not have seen these victories without their efforts.
NOM's president, Maggie Gallagher has been willing to fly at the drop of the hat to Maine (or anywhere else for that matter!) to do whatever necessary to protect marriage.
I write all of this quickly this morning, after a late election night watching returns in Portland, Maine. I'm sitting outside an old stone church in downtown Portland. It is a chilly, breezy, day with the sun shining bright, and the Casco Bay bridge in the distance.
An ideal fall day in New England.
An ideal day for marriage in our country.
Thomas Peters has a post on this as well.
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