Dear Marriage Supporter:

By now you've probably read the headlines that NOM played a huge role in helping to defeat Democrat David Weprin and elect Republican Bob Turner in New York's 9th Congressional District. This is an amazing victory because the marriage issue was front and center and became a major factor in the outcome of the race. Turner becomes the first Republican to hold this seat since the early 1920s!

When legislators in Albany voted to redefine marriage, including Assemblyman David Weprin, NOM vowed to hold them accountable. David Weprin had the misfortune of being the first legislator to face voters since the marriage vote, and he got crushed because of it.

NOM commissioned a "flash" survey on election day by QEV Analytics of voters in the 9th Congressional District that demonstrates how important the marriage issue was in Weprin's loss to Turner.

The survey by QEV Analytics interviewed 251 actual or highly likely voters in the NY 9th Congressional District on election day, concluding just as the polls closed last evening. It found the following:

• Fifty percent of district voters believe that marriage should only be between one man and one woman while only 38% of voters disagree (13% didn't express an opinion).

• Marriage supporters include 88% of Orthodox Jews, 53% of Catholics and 47% of other Christians.

• There is a high correlation between a person's position on marriage and their vote between Turner and Weprin. Those who agree marriage should only be between a man and a woman voted for Turner 81% - 19%.

• Turner won Orthodox Jews 91%º - 9%; Catholics by 72% - 28%; Other Christians 53% - 47%. Weprin won among non-Orthodox Jews 69% - 29%; among Other/None/DK 76% - 24%.

• Moreover, among those who agree with the traditional definition of marriage, 44% said Weprin's position was a factor in their vote, while 29% of those who disagree said his position was a factor.

• Voters told the pollster that David Weprin's position on same-sex marriage was a specific factor in the voting decision of 72% of Orthodox Jews, 29% of Other Jews, 27% of Catholics, 33% of Other Christians, 27% of Other/None/DK.

Remember when the vote to redefine marriage happened last June? There was Andrew Cuomo telling the media that supporting same-sex marriage would be a great political asset to legislators and that he would provide political protection for those who voted the way he, Michael Bloomberg and the Human Rights Campaign (HRC) had requested.

"What I've said is I believe the legislators who voted for marriage equality, this is actually going to be an asset to them in their campaign; I believe that…And I told them I'm willing to stand up and say that."

– Governor Andrew Cuomo

Some help Cuomo, Bloomberg and HRC proved to be for David Weprin!

NOM budgeted $75,000 to hold David Weprin accountable, ultimately meeting our goals while spending just over $65,000. We sent three mailers into the district, and launched follow up telephone calls as well.

You can read our mailer to Jewish voters, Hispanic voters, and other voters, or you can see all of them on the NOMblog.

We are very grateful to Rabbi Zecharia Wallerstein and Sen. Ruben Diaz for voicing automated phone calls to tens of thousands of Orthodox Jewish and Hispanic households in the district. You can listen to

NOM's involvement in the 9th Congressional District is part of our $2 million pledge to make sure that the voters of New York can hold legislators accountable who voted to redefine marriage. In addition to defeating David Weprin, we have funded four massive rallies as part of www.LetThePeopleVote.com and direct mailers into districts of four State Senators.

NOM will not rest until the people of New York have the right to decide for themselves how marriage will be decided. You can get involved at www.LetThePeopleVote.com. And won't you please make a contribution so that we can keep our work in New York and elsewhere going forward?

Tuesday was a great day for NOM and for marriage. Not only did we prevail in the pivotal NY 9th Congressional District, but we also helped pass a Marriage Amendment through the North Carolina legislature. NOM reached out to 100,000 voters to make sure they let their representatives know: the people want the right to vote! (Kudos to Family Research Council, North Carolina Family Policy Council and the North Carolina Values Coalition, for all their hard work on this too!)

Next May, North Carolina voters will finally have the chance to protect marriage and become the 31st state to enact a state marriage amendment.

Thank you for all you have done to support NOM. You are making a huge difference!

The pundits who predict defeat—who say this debate is done—are wrong. Together you and I have proved that again and again.

This week, praise God, in places as diverse as North Carolina and New York (!), the people have proved once again they do not want the government messing with marriage. The people of this country do not want to be branded by their own government as bigots or haters for standing up for Biblical values.

Together, let me promise you, with your help and God's, truth and love can and will prevail.

Keep fighting the good fight!

Brian S. Brown
President
National Organization for Marriage

P.S. Doing what we do takes not only guts, but money. We spent nearly $75,000 in New York City alone, sending mailers to the homes of voters who disapprove of gay marriage, reminding them of David Weprin's words and votes for gay marriage. We paid for Sen. Rev. Ruben Diaz to send robo-calls into the homes of the many Christian Latinos in the district, as well as getting prominent Orthodox Jewish Rabbi Zechariah Wallerstein's voice to Orthodox Jews saying he was endorsing Bob Turner because David Weprin had disgraced Torah values. We were the first ones into the race and played a pivotal early role in helping drive down Weprin's polling numbers, enticing others to help defeat the pro-gay marriage Democrat. We don't stand for marriage only with words, but with organizing know-how and key resources. We didn't plan for this fight, it arose, and NOM spotted the opportunity and responded. Can you help us be in a position to respond the next time we have the chance to change history, to prove to politicians it doesn't pay to be for gay marriage? Your donations are critical: $20 today will help demonstrate the lie that the American people are fine with gay marriage!

Times are tough. I know how valuable your $20 is, and I promise to take my stewardship responsibility seriously, to use your precious gift wisely and thriftily, to make God's truth of marriage known—and triumph—throughout the land. Please, if you can spare $20 for marriage this week, help us win more victories!