Minnesota Lawyer
The Minnesota Independence Party has joined the broad coalition of groups aligning to campaign against the state’s constitutional amendment on gay marriage set to be on the ballot in 2012.
IP Chair Mark Jenkins announced the partnership in a statement Tuesday morning. “Our platform declares that ‘We oppose having the government impose state-sponsored morality or values on people of good conscience with differing views,” he said. “This is a perfect example.”
“We’re proud to partner with all organizations working to defeat this amendment over the next 15 months,” Jenkins added.
The Independence Party’s joining of the coalition is the latest sign that Minnesotans United for All Families, which will be the main campaign spearhead against the amendment in Minnesota, will comprise a broad swath politically active groups. The coalition boasts partners such as the DFL, Libertarian Party, the Human Rights Campaign, OutFront Minnesota, the Minnesota Council of Nonprofits and various labor and religious groups as well.
The growing force behind the Minnesotans United for All Families coalition also shows that the campaign over the amendment will be a hotly contested one on both sides — and that they are wasting no time getting underway.
Already, the Minnesota Catholic Conference and Minnesota Family Council have registered PACs with the state to work in support of the amendment. A group with ties to the Log Cabin Republicans, known as Republicans Against the Minnesota Marriage Amendment, will work against the amendment as well. There are a handful of other groups registered already as well.
The IP said in its announcement that party activists and members will engage directly in the campaign against the amendment, both by volunteering and by holding public events.
