O’Malley to Cohost Equality Maryland Fund-raiser

Maryland governor Martin O'Malley, who has vowed to prioritize the passage of marriage equality legislation next year, will cohost a fund-raiser for the state's leading LGBT advocacy group this evening.

The Washington Postreported on the event, with ticket prices starting at $50, to be held in Chevy Chase, where Equality Maryland also will honor four Democrats who intend to run for governor in 2014.

A spokesman for O'Malley said the event would be "the first of many" in which the governor plans to build support for marriage equality legislation, which passed the state Senate in the 2011 legislative session but was pulled in the House of Delegates because of a lack of votes. The governor, who said he would sign the bill, was criticized for not being vocal enough in his support. He is often mentioned as a potential Democratic presidential contender in 2016.

According to the Post, the Equality Maryland fund-raiser also shows the widespread support for marriage equality among Democrats who may harbor gubernatorial ambitions for 2014. Those being honored include Atty. Gen. Douglas F. Gansler, Lt. Gov. Anthony G. Brown, Comptroller Peter Franchot, and Howard County executive Ken Ulman.

Equality Maryland, which announced grave financial difficulties last spring, reported Tuesday via email to supporters that, while challenges remain, the organization has reached "a place of stability and confidence in our future." According to the announcement, the organization emerged from August debt-free and has resources to meet its operating expenses for the next two months. It plans to seat almost a dozen new board members by the end of September, and a new executive director will be announced after the new board selects a candidate in October.