FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: August 8, 2011
CONTACT: Mary Beth Hutchins at 703-683-5004
Presidential Candidates Travel State with NOM on Values Bus Tour
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WASHINGTON– The National Organization for Marriage (NOM) is ensuring that marriage will be a primary factor in voters’ decision on which presidential candidate to support in the upcoming Straw Poll, highlighting on the “Values Voter Bus Tour” the support of four top candidates who have signed NOM’s Marriage Pledge.
“Restoring marriage as the union of one man and one woman will be a major issue in both the upcoming Ames Straw Poll, as well as in selecting Iowa’s GOP nominee in the caucuses next year,” said Brian Brown, president of NOM. “When the Iowa Supreme Court did the unthinkable in 2009 and invented a right to gay marriage in Iowa’s state constitution, they set off a powerful voter reaction that is still unfolding. First, voters threw out all three Supreme Court justices who faced voters in the retention election, including the Chief Justice. Next, Iowa voters will elect a presidential candidate who has pledged to take concrete steps to preserve marriage as the union of one man and one woman. Finally, Iowa voters will elect a pro-marriage majority that will put forward a proposed constitutional amendment reversing the activist decision by the Supreme Court.”
NOM is sponsoring the “Values Bus Tour” along with FRC Action and Susan B. Anthony List. The bus tour will come to 22 cities throughout the state during the week leading up to the important Ames Straw Poll on August 13th.
“We encourage our tens of thousands of supporters to come visit us on the bus tour and mingle with some of the presidential candidates who will be joining this,” Brown said. “The top four presidential candidates have all signed NOM’s Marriage Pledge, including Mitt Romney, Michelle Bachmann, Tim Pawlenty and Rick Santorum. Several of them have expressed a desire to participate in the bus tour.”
NOM's supporters and all citizens of Iowa are encouraged to visit www.valuesbus.com to see the tour schedule and get updated information about which candidates will be joining portions of the tour.
“The valuesbus.com website is an invaluable resource for people to use to get information and participate in promoting marriage as a defining issue in the 2012 presidential campaign. We encourage everyone to go to the website for updated tour scheduling and other information,” Brown concluded.
To schedule an interview with Brian Brown, President of the National Organization for Marriage, or Maggie Gallagher, Chairman of the Board, please contact Mary Beth Hutchins (x105), [email protected], or Elizabeth Ray (x130), [email protected], at 703-683-5004.
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