MD is clearly the biggest worry since we have little information as to what they are raising. There will be no campaign finance disclosure until October. Our side’s website looks good and based on the information on the respective websites our campaign clearly looks better than our adversary’s operation. However, HRC really has to step up here. Its usual practice is to support these marriage referenda campaigns with a few hundred thousand dollars and some staff loans. That won’t do here. MD is in HRC’s backyard and the local group essentially imploded in 2011. If we are going to win, HRC needs to pony up several million from its $40 million revenue, and NGLTF need to bear a heavy part of the load too. They need to tap their donor networks and help MD out now. If they fail in this, if they simply once again toss an inadequate amount to the locals and lend a few staff, it will be a held against both groups.

My personal view is that MD should have passed civil unions in 2011 and then let that serve as a bridge to marriage in 2014 or 2015. We would have won civil unions overwhelmingly and would have had no referendum. HRC wanted to go for full marriage now. Having gotten what they wanted, HRC had better do everything it can to get us a win.