Protect ALL Families NC campaign manager Jeremy Kennedy and Senior Online Strategist Nation Hahn have taped a message of thanks to the Netroots community for the massive show of support they have received in the last few months.
They say they've raised over $760,000 online, mostly from in-state but also from around the country, specifically:
"farmers in the midwest, mommy bloggers in Florida, immigration reform activists in Washington DC, a blogger in New York, Pam Spaulding in Durham, and people all over the country have given gifts ranging from 5 to 5,000 dollars."
I wrote on Monday about a
spontaneous Twitter fundraiser that was the brain-child of Adam Bink at the Courage Campaign.
Washington Blade did a fun report on it. At the end of the day more than 50 bloggers and Twitter users from across the country—fighting liberals—had helped deliver
over $43,000 to the coffers of the campaign in a single day.
The Blade piece is a fun and inspiring read. The template of the Twitter campaign is something that any issues-oriented activist could easily adapt their own campaign.
They appreciate people from around the country, have rallied to their support to help them defeat this "unclear, unwise and unnecessary" addition to the North Carolina state constitution.
The polls may say it passes, but there is a definite sense of momentum against this referendum. Early voting is showing unprecedented turnout, even when compared to the epic battle in 2008 between Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama. A good sign is very, very strong turn out at college university early voting sites, where demographics favor defeat 75%.
There may indeed be a fierce appetite to defeat this that poll models are not picking up. The grassroots passion is palpable. And the news for proponents is bad, actually really bad, and getting worse.
As we head into the final stretch, I do recommend fastening your seat-belts. It promises to be a bumpy ride ahead. I am sure there will be some dirty tricks played, like the ones in Iowa and Alaska as the anti-gay crowd begins to panic.
Jeremy Kennedy's fundraising page asking to expand the ad buy is the #1 Hot page of the day at ActBlue, which is good news. They are substantially outraising the proponents, but frankly with the war chest the National Organization for Marriage and Roman Catholic Church are sitting on, that could change in a single day, with a single check.
What you can do to help defeat Amendment One:
- Contribute to the campaign on ActBlue so they have the resources they need to get our message out.
- Sign up for a Courageous Conversation about Amendment One with someone you know in North Carolina.
- Follow the campaign on Facebook and Twitter.
- Download social media tools and yard signs to show your opposition to Amendment 1.
- Volunteer to Call for Equality—a national, virtual GOTV phone banking effort against Amendment 1.
- Sign up to help get out the vote in NC yourself! Courage Campaign is arranging out-of-state caravans and travel assistance is available.