Source: Gay & Lesbian Times, Christian Broadcasting Network, San Diego Union Tribune, San Jose Mercury News
SAN DIEGO -- San Diego is earning a reputation as the ground zero of the right-wing movement to overturn marriage equality, a report by Christian Broadcasting Network asserts. 

San Diego churches started the petition drive last fall to put a marriage amendment also known as Proposition 8, on the ballot.  And those churches are now organizing a get-out-the-vote drive for November's election, CBN reports.

Although the petition drive for the ballot measure started before the court's decision, the amendment now aims to override the California Supreme Court's ruling on May 15 that declared marriage is a fundamental right of all Californians, including same-sex couples.

A San Diego County school board also waded into the matter last month by adopting a resolution opposing marriage equality.

The Grossmont Union High School District (GUHSD) became the first public school district in California to go on record in support of Prop. 8.

The board voted 4-0 on July 31 to pass a resolution endorsing the November ballot initiative, which would amend the state Constitution deny same-sex couples the right to marry.

Some school board members and parents urged the board not to vote for the resolution, saying Proposition 8 had nothing to do with education. But in the end only one member, Richard Hoy, abstained from the vote because he said he doesn't believe it directly affects schools.

California's largest teachers’ union, the California Teachers Association opposes Proposition 8, and stated all people should be allowed equal protections under the law.

Several right-wing San Diego pastors are actively involved in the battle against marriage equality, CBN reports.

"There are many phone calls after midnight," Skyline Church Pastor Jim Garlow told CBN.  "There are conference calls after midnight.  There were emails going at 4:15 this morning.  It is ratcheted up and it is intense."

Garlow , along with Pastor Chris Clark of East Clairemont Baptist and Pastor Miles McPherson of The Rock Church, are leading the movement with ambitious plans: 5,000 energized pastors who will help get out seven million votes.

Political scientist Thad Kousser studies state politics at the University of California, San Diego.  He says the work of the churches is key.

"Churches will absolutely be the heart of this support campaign," Kousser told CBN News.  "They've already had a conference call with 1,000 pastors."

If current polls and past history are any indication, the November vote on Prop 8 will be very close.

"When initiatives begin a race very, very closely divided," Kousser said.  "Those initiatives normally lose."

Kousser notes that a Los Angeles Times/KTLA poll in May showed 54% of registered voters support the amendment.  But a Field poll from the same month shows 51% of registered voters approve of the idea of gay marriage.

Neither side is likely to be short of money to air campaign commercials in California's expensive media markets.

A San Jose Mercury News analysis of campaign fundraising reports filed late last month shows gay-marriage supporters raised about $1.6 million since the May 15 court ruling - almost three times more than the groups supporting a constitutional amendment to ban same-sex marriage raised in late May and June.

The flurry of donations pushed the lead groups fighting Proposition 8's ban slightly ahead of their opponents in fundraising efforts over the first half of 2008. The total does not include several large donations a major gay rights group - Equality for All - received in July that were not included in the latest campaign filings.

Both sides said last month that that they are on track to raise $10 million to $15 million each by Election Day. While $30 million would not be close to the record for the most money raised for a ballot initiative in California, it likely will fuel an active media campaign from Crescent City to Palm Springs, starting after Labor Day.

All told, Equality for All and a related organization raised about $2.6 million in the first half of 2008. That's about $300,000 more than Proposition 8's major backers - Protect Marriage and the National Organization for Marriage-California - raised through June 30, Mercury News reports.

Still, Proposition 8 supporters say they are pleased with the pace of their fundraising. Protect Marriage also saw a surge in donations after May 15, but those tended to be smaller, individual contributions, the Mercury News analysis found.

"It's still early, but certainly we are pleased by where we're at at this stage of the campaign," said Jennifer Kerns, a spokeswoman for Protect Marriage, an anti-equality umbrella group.

Those opposing the amendment include Denver-based gay activist Tim Gill, CBN reports.  The Gill Action Fund gave $250,000 to Equality for All, an umbrella group opposing Prop.  8.  The Washington, D.C.-based Human Rights Campaign pledged $1 million.

According to records, more than 96 percent of the donors to the No on 8 campaign have contributed less than $1,000. Internet donations are approximately $480,000. The campaign also has some major individual donors who have contributed hundreds of thousands of dollars, Gay & Lesbian Times reports.

"We are thrilled that people from across California and the nation are donating to the cause," said No on 8 campaign manager Dale Kelly Bankhead. "Just this month we have raised approximately another $2 million. Volunteers at our phone banks are giving, people visiting our Web site are giving and contributions both large and small are strengthening our campaign."

PG&E, the huge utility that serves Northern California, has waded into the issue by donating $250,000 to the campaign against Proposition 8.

The donation was announced in July by Equality California, a gay rights group that is opposing the ban, and PG&E officials.

In a news release, Nancy McFadden, vice president for PG&E, said the utility was "proud to join No on 8 and Equality California to protect the freedom to marry for all Californians."

Groups opposed to a constitutional ban attracted about $750,000 in donations from outside California, more than the roughly $600,000 in out-of-state contributions received by Proposition 8 supporters.

"I think we have to spend more than they do," Steve Smith, the lead campaign consultant for Equality for All, said Thursday. "I don't think we have to spend a lot more, but I think we have to spend more than they do, and we're completely capable of raising that."

On anti-equality side, Colorado-based Focus on the Family gave $250,000 and the Mississippi-based American Family Association gave $500,000.

In all, Protect Marriage attracted donations from 33 states. The national breadth of donations indicates that the rest of the country feels a stake in the debate, Kerns said. She said since California doesn't require couples to be residents to marry, there is concern that same-sex marriage could spread to other states if it remains legal, the Mercury News reports.

Gay rights and union groups have announced a boycott of the Manchester Grand Hyatt in San Diego and the Grand Del Mar because the hotels' owner, San Diego developer, Doug Manchester, donated $125,000 to the Yes on Proposition 8 campaign.

"Our opponents have said they will raise and spend $10-15 million dollars," said Steve Smith, senior campaign consultant for the No on 8 group. "The generous support of our donors means we will more than match them, and have a full communications campaign for the California voters."

Brown says Catholics, Jews, Mormon and even some Muslims are are joining right-wing Christians in the campaign against marraige equality.

"A lot of religions, both Christian and non-Christian, are concerned about the issue," said Allen Haynie with the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

Proposition 8 "is about the California Constitution, but really it is about engaging conservatives inside and outside California, so they don't stay home in November because they're not enthusiastic about (John) McCain," David McCuan, a professor of political science at Sonoma State University, told the Mercury News. "You use an issue like this to kind of stir up the votes in the pews."

CBN News reports that "many Christians" it spoke to are confident of victory in November.

"When you get into the voting booth, when it's just you and the Lord -- I think people will vote the correct way," said Lisa Mills of Skyline Church.

Source: Christian Marriage Movement's Ground Zero - U.S. - CBN News
PG&E joins fight against Proposition 8 | San Diego Union Tribune
High school board votes to support Prop 8 | Gay & Lesbian Times
California same-sex marriage fight draws big money on both sides | San Jose Mercury News