Minnesota legislators who may face a vote on legalizing gay marriage have a new consideration on the issue.
In addition to listening to their consciences and constituents, they now have word from the National Organization for Marriage that the national group will spend $500,000 to defeat any Republican legislator who votes for gay marriage.
And the group will support any DFL legislators who vote against it.
"Marriage is not a partisan issue, and NOM does not hesitate to oppose weak Republicans and support strong Democrats," said Brian Brown, NOM president.
The group is initially targeting GOP state Sen. Branden Petersen, who last week said he's planning to co-sponsor a gay marriage bill.
"Republicans like Branden Petersen don’t realize that not only is voting to redefine marriage a terrible policy, it is also a career-ending vote for a Republican," Brown said in a statement. "NOM will do everything in our power to defeat any Republican who votes in favor of same-sex marriage. Legislators need look no further than what happened to GOP Senators in New York. Four of them were responsible for passing gay marriage. We helped take out three of those Senators by repeatedly informing their constituents of their betrayal on marriage. They are now out of office. We will not hesitate to do the same thing in Minnesota."
While announcing the stance he expects Republican legislators to take, Brown urged DFLers not to listen to their party leaders.
"We urge Democrats in the Minnesota Legislature to vote their values, and not what their party bosses tell them. Standing for true marriage is the right thing to do for Minnesota families, and especially for children. The fact is that Minnesota children, and all children, have a right to expect laws that promote them being raised by a mother and father. We will support those legislators, Democrats and Republicans alike, who vote for Minnesota family values, just as we have done in other states."
The group says its state political fund spent $2.2 million in the an effort to pass a state constitutional amendment that was defeated by voters in November.