Late last week, three anti-gay-rights groups—the National Organization for Marriage (NOM), the Family Research Council (FRC), and CitizenLink—sent a letter to national Republican leaders declaring their intention to actively oppose openly gay Republican House candidates Carl DeMaio and Richard Tisei, as well as Oregon Senate candidate Monica Wehby, who has endorsed gay marriage. “This decision was reached,” the groups wrote, “only after having exhausted all attempts to convince the Republican leadership of the grave error it was making in advancing candidates who do not hold core Republican beliefs and, in fact, are working to actively alienate the Republican base.”

DeMaio happens to be running in my district. His opponent has been running ads trying to tie him to the Tea Party. The area is pretty moderate/liberal on social issues so this attack by social conservatives may actually help him. (DeMaio previously lost the San Diego Mayoral race to Bob Filner, who somehow managed to beat out Rob Ford for the title of “Worst Mayor in North America” last year and was forced to resign).

More: Social Conservatives Are Freaking Out Because the GOP Let 2 Gay People Into the Party