Massachusetts Equal Marriage
November 4, 2004
[Information provided by the Massachusetts Equal Marriage coalition]
This election was arguably the most important election we have faced as Americans, as Commonwealth citizens and as advocates of equal marriage rights for same-sex couples.
Nationally, our country endured many heartaches and triumphs over the passed four years. As Commonwealth citizens, we shared those experiences with our fellow Americans and, additionally, our high court's ground-breaking Goodridge decision
[thrust] the civil rights movement for same-sex couples into the center of public debate.
Yesterday, equality won in Massachusetts!!
Every incumbent who voted against the Anti-Gay Constitutional Amendment who was seeking re-election won their race. This was our top priority.
To add to that success, pro-equality candidates won six of eight open seats where the opponent favored discrimination against same-sex couples.
The Cape Cod Freedom to Marry Chapter is strongly credited as a key organization that protected two pro-equality incumbents, Senator Rob O'Leary (Cape and Islands) and Rep. Matt Patrick (3rd Barnstable), and electing Cleon Turner (1st
Barnstable) to an open seat.
We mobilized members throughout the state and earned hard fought wins. Ed Augustus (2nd Worcester) and Karen Spilka (2nd Middlesex and Norfolk) who both won tough races against well-funded opponents will join the State Senate. Also joining the legislature as State Representative in January will be newly elected Representatives Denis Guyer (2nd Berkshire), John Keenan (7th Essex), and Tom Sannicandro (7th Middlesex).
Most notably, openly gay candidate, Carl Sciortino, was targeted by radical religious and social conservatives who worked with now anti-gay Representative Vinny Ciampa to wage a homophobic smear write-in campaign after losing the primary. Carl beat Vinny Ciampa by a two to one margin.
Thank you to all the volunteers who worked on this campaign.
Our work during the primaries and these past few months have been aimed at shaping a pro-equality legislature that will work to defeat the anti-gay amendment. We are doing well, but there remains much to be done. We also want to thank all our coalition partners in MassEquality for their outstanding work.
Now we look to the future. Freedom to Marry will continue to work within communities around the state, training advocates to become stronger leaders for marriage equality.
We also predict that our recent success will not go unnoticed by the radical religious and social conservatives. We expect their efforts to intensify.
We urge you to send a strong message that we will continue our work for equality. We urge you to join as a member today. Link below to become a member.
http://www.equalmarriage.org/joinus.php
Congratulations and thank you for all your support!!
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