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ANNAPOLIS, Md. — Governor Martin O’Malley is a Marylander for marriage equality.

The Democratic Governor on Monday released a video in which he called for balancing religious freedom with the freedom to marry.

“As a free and diverse people of many different faiths, we choose to be governed under the law by certain fundamental principles, among them, equal protection of the law for every individual and the free exercise of religion without government intervention,” O’Malley says in the video.

“The legislation we plan to introduce in the 2012 legislative session will protect religious freedom and equality of marital rights under the law,” he said.

Watch:

O’Malley has said he wants marriage equality legislation approved in the Maryland legislature’s 2012 session, and that he would make it a priority of his administration.

The Governor told reporters in July that he would borrow elements of the strategy used by New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo (D) and marriage equality supporters in the Empire State to sponsor and pass a marriage equality bill in the session that begins in January.

O’Malley’s appearance marks the first advert sponsored by “Marylanders for Marriage Equality,” a coalition of groups working to pass the legislation.

Tags: Marriage Equality, Martin O'Malley, Maryland, Marylanders for Marriage Equality

Filed under: Maryland