Human Rights Campaign to donate $1 million to marriage equality fight

The Human Rights Campaign is sending $250,000 apiece to Maine, Washington, Maryland, and Minnesota to help with same-sex marriage ballot measures in each of those states, Politico reports:

Officials said there will be more spending coming, and that it makes the total spent by HRC in 2011 and 2012 on marriage-related efforts to $4.8 million.

"These ballot measures are the critical issues in November for our community, besides re-electing the president" and a small handful of specific races, said HRC's Michael Cole-Schwartz. "And part of why they're a big deal is because our opponents have rightfully had the talking points that all of these states have banned marriage for same-sex couples (in the past)."

Maine is the only state with a ballot measure that would legalize same-sex marriage.

Washington and Maryland are fighting repeals of laws passed in 2011.

Minnesota is battling a constitutional amendment that would ban same-sex marriage.