Human Rights Campaign President Chad Griffin is set to hit the campaign trail for Democratic U.S. Senate candidates. (Washington Blade photo by Michael Key)

With only a few days remaining before Election Day, the Human Rights Campaign is set to hit the campaign trail in a few competitive races on behalf of Democrats.

Chad Griffin, president of the Human Rights Campaign, plans to make personal appearances in four states for the campaigns of Democratic candidates for U.S. Senate at a time when the party is struggling to maintain control of the chamber.

“We are at a critical juncture in our fight for full equality,” Griffin said in a statement Tuesday. “The outcome of this election will impact whether or not we move forward or backward with fair-minded policies and legislation, and that’s why mobilizing LGBT voters and allies to get out and vote for equality-minded candidates is a key priority.”

Griffin has repeatedly refused Blade interview requests since he took over as HRC president.

The four states to which Griffin will travel are Oregon, Colorado, Georgia and New Hampshire. He’s set to take part in a phone bank on Tuesday for Sen. Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.), on Wednesday for Sen. Mark Udall (D-Colo.), on Thursday for U.S. Senate candidate Michelle Nunn and on Saturday for Sen. Jeanne Shaheen (D-N.H.).

Merkley is relatively safe in his prospects for re-election, but the remaining three candidates are in more competitive races. Still, Udall has been consistently behind in the polls as he faces a re-election challenge from Republican candidate Cory Gardner.

In addition to traveling to four states, Griffin is set to take part in a telephone town hall for U.S. Senate candidate in Iowa Bruce Braley, who’s in a competitive race with Republican candidate Joni Ernst.

The Human Rights Campaign also on Tuesday unveiled new online ads promoting the candidacies of Udall and Merkley based on their LGBT work, which includes support for marriage equality, the Employment Non-Discrimination Act and “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” repeal.

HRC points to polling conducted by Greenberg Quinlan Rosner Research in 2012 that found support for LGBT rights helped candidates with voters.

Other efforts initiated by HRC to support these candidates include sending election-related action alerts to HRC members, deploying 24 staff members to work in campaigns and co-ordinating volunteer phone banks at HRC headquarters.

HRC bills itself as a non-partisan LGBT organization, but all of the candidates it supports in this effort are Democrats. One Republican candidate endorsed by HRC, Sen. Susan Collins (R-Maine), isn’t among those that will receive help as part of this latest push by Griffin.

Gregory Angelo, executive director of the Log Cabin Republicans, said he’s not surprised Griffin would back Democratic candidates for office, but declined to criticize him.

“My interactions with Chad Griffin have always shown him to be an advocate who understands the importance of Republicans in the fight for equality, but he also makes no bones about being a liberal Democrat,” Angelo said. “It’s election season, so I can’t say I’m fazed or surprised.”

But Angelo said Log Cabin is also helping to make a push in the days before Election Day. Staff will be deployed to Massachusetts’ 6th congressional district, where gay Republican U.S. House candidate Richard Tisei is seeking office, and California’s 52nd congressional district, where Carl DeMaio, who’s gay, is running.

Angelo said he’s making the trek himself to California to assist the campaign of DeMaio, who’s running against pro-LGBT incumbent Rep. Scott Peters (R-Calif.)

Not to be outdone, anti-gay groups also undertaking efforts to ensure opponents of LGBT rights win at the polls. Brian Brown, president of the anti-gay National Organization for Marriage, said in a statement Tuesday TV ads have been purchased and are set to air this week in North Carolina and Arkansas.

In North Carolina, Sen. Kay Hagan (D-N.C.), a supporter of marriage equality, is fending off a challenge from Republican Thom Tillis, who is seeking to overturn a court decision in favor of same-sex marriage in his state. In Arkansas, Republican Tom Cotton is running ahead of incumbent Sen. Mark Pryor (D-Ark.), although neither supports marriage equality.

“The National Organization for Marriage Victory Fund will spend $200,000 this week in just the North Carolina and Arkansas Senate contests,” Brown said. “Today we’re announcing the launch of a powerful new television ad that puts marriage front and center in the race, contrasting the leadership of Thom Tillis in getting the North Carolina marriage amendment on the ballot with Kay Hagan’s opposition to it. Moreover, Hagan was the person who hand-picked the federal judge who invalidated the North Carolina marriage amendment without so much as giving voters a day in court.”

The ad in North Carolina, “Kay Hagan’s Judge,” criticizes Hagan for recommending the appointment to the bench of U.S. District Judge Max Cogburn, who was responsible for overturning the state’s ban on same-sex marriage.

Additionally, NOM says automated phone calls have been made in California, Massachusetts and Oregon. In each of the states, Republican hopefuls — U.S. Senate candidate Monica Wehby, gay U.S. House candidate Richard Tisei and DeMaio — are considered supporters of marriage equality, but anti-gay groups have pledged to block their candidacy.

The organization says mailers have been sent out in North Carolina and are being sent out in California.

The leader of another pro-LGBT group, Gay & Lesbian Victory Fund CEO Chuck Wolfe, is set to travel to Maine to assist with the campaign of Democratic gubernatorial candidate Mike Michaud.

Michaud is in a tight race with incumbent Republican Gov. Paul LePage, but could could be the first openly gay person elected to the office of governor.

Denis Dison, spokesperson for the Victory Fund, said Wolfe plans to be in Maine on Election Day.

“He typically participates in get-out-the-vote efforts on Election Day, places calls to thank donors, attends (hopefully!) victory celebrations and speaks to media about the results and the impact of a victory,” Dison said.