Keying off of a Minnesota lawsuit filed by three gay couples to protest the state law defining marriage as the union between one man and one woman, a group said it is running $200,000 worth of television ads to protest those who would "redefine marriage in Minnesota."

"[National Organization for Marriage] sees Minnesota as the next key battleground state in the fight to preserve marriage in America," said Brian Brown, the organization's president in a news release.

The ad, from the National Organization for Marriage, says "leading DFL and Independence candidates for governor support homosexual marriage" and shows pictures of Democrats Mark Dayton, Matt Entenza, Margaret Anderson Kelliher and IP's Tom Horner.

"Most DFL lawmakers don't want you to have a say. When they ask for your support, ask them if they'll guarantee your right to vote on marriage," the ad backers advise.

The ad appears to address the constitutional amendment that defines marriage as between one man and one woman and features photos of candidates for governor but it does not mention make clear that in Minnesota governors do not have the chance to "guarantee" the right to vote on constitutional amendments. To get on the ballot, amendments require support from the majority of the Legislature but no sign off from governors.

But Tom Prichard, of the Minnesota Family Council, said that governors do appoint judges and can sign or veto legislation that would allow same sex marriage. Prichard, who said he has talked to the National Organization for Marriage folks and welcomes them into Minnesota, could not recall a previous Minnesota television ad that addressed the same sex marriage issue.

Brown said the $200,000 ad buy is "just the beginning of our efforts to expose the Minnesota politicians who won't let the people vote on the future of marriage."

Here's the ad:

Update:

Here's the transcript --

EFX. Series of bills and newspaper headline of lawsuit appear on screen, along with logos of groups (Outfront Minnesota, PFLAG, Marriage Equality Minnesota, Marry Me Minnesota, Atheists for Human Rights).

ANNCR
Special interest groups are pushing for judges and DFL politicians to impose gay marriage on Minnesota.

EFX: We show footage of Senator John Marty addressing the Senate Judiciary Committee hearing on SF 120. The segment is taken from the 6:25-6:33 mark at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OTaKG96xDWk&feature=player_embedded


SUPER: Senator John Marty
March 2, 2010

Legislation to Impose Gay Marriage

MARTY
"My goal is for this to happen as quick as we can. I think that next year we could actually get this law passed and signed into law. That's my goal."

EFX: Photos of DFL and Independence party candidates come on screen (Anderson-keiliher, Dayton, Entenza, Horner) with their names superimposed over the bottom of their photographs.

ANNCR
Leading DFL and Independence candidates for governor support homosexual marriage.

EFX: Images of people casting ballots, ballot boxes, poll workers, etc.

ANNCR
And most DFL lawmakers don't want you to have a say. When they ask for your support, ask them if they'll guarantee your right to vote on marriage.


EFX: We see a map of the US with states highlighted that have voted. The camera pans in to the states surrounding Minnesota.