AUGUSTA, Maine (AP) — An evangelical group has abandoned its campaign to overturn Maine's law protecting gays and lesbians from discrimination, days after California began issuing marriage licenses to same-sex couples.

"We're pulling the plug," Michael Heath, executive director of the Christian Civic League of Maine, said Thursday. The group failed to attract the voter, volunteer and financial support it needed to continue its campaign, he said.

The group collected only a third of the 15,000 voter signatures it had set as a goal for primary election day June 10, Heath said. Citing tags opponents had applied to initiative backers, he said potential volunteers "don't want to be aligned with bigotry and homophobia and hatred."

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