Dayton family ramps up efforts to defeat marriage amendment

Gov. Dayton is scheduled to headline a fundraiser later this month to help a group that wants to defeat an constitutional amendment that would define marriage between one man and one woman.

The fundraiser is being billed as the "first-ever Governor's Pride Reception." It will be held on June 19, four days before the Twin Cities Pride Festival. The funds will go to Minnesotans United for All Families, which is working to defeat the amendment.

Meanwhile, Dayton's sons, Eric and Andrew, announced that they're donating $200,000 to the group. In an e-mail to supporters through Minnesotans United for All Families, the Daytons are encouraging donors to "match their contributions."

"It's simple: Committed, same-sex couples should have the freedom to marry. Together, we can contribute $400,000 toward Minnesotans United's efforts to protect that freedom," they wrote in the e-mail.

Their e-mail comes one day after Public Policy Polling released a poll saying there is growing opposition to the proposed amendment among those polled.

June 19 is the filing deadline where the public will get a better understanding of who is funding the groups. Minnesota for Marriage, a group that supports the amendment, reported raising roughly $1.3 million most of it coming from the Catholic Church, the National Organization for Marriage and the Minnesota Family Council.

If a majority of those support the measure in the November election, Minnesota's Constitution would be amended to define marriage as between one man and one woman.

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