We have the power to end your career

Back in June of 2011 four GOP state senators in New York joined Democrats to vote for marriage equality. The National Organization for Marriage vowed vengeance -- can't have GOP lawmakers breaking ranks. That would set a very bad example for the rest of the country. So, NOM put a great deal of effort in making sure there were anti-gay GOP candidates to run against the defectors.

The primary was a couple days ago. Time to check up on how much power NOM has.

One senator dropped out due to a scandal having nothing to do with gay marriage.

The most public defection was Mark Grisanti. He had opposed marriage equality, then did something that seems foreign to the GOP -- he listened to his constituents and changed his mind. Grisanti trounced his NOM-backed opponent.

Both Steve Saland and Roy McDonald are in races so close that the winner will be decided by absentee ballots and recounts. Incumbents usually have no trouble keeping their seats.

NOM endorsed candidates in two other races. In one the NOM candidate lost big. In the other the NOM candidate won because the opponent had been charged with conspiracy to funnel state money to a private charity.

Final tally: Two NOM targets won decisively. One lost for reasons not related to gay marriage. Two are still a tossup.

So, does NOM have the power to end careers as it claims? Depends on who you ask (and we won't ask NOM because their response would be obvious). Two big wins says NOM doesn't have the power. Two tossups says it does -- that might be enough to give other GOP lawmakers pause.

But on to the general election. It appears NOM will continue its vow -- and that may include backing a pro-equality Democrat to punish a pro-equality Republican.

NOM is also trumpeting that in New Hampshire two pro-equality GOP incumbents were defeated. But there were 119 pro-equality GOP incumbents. You do the math.