In a move that is as appalling as it is embarrassing, the Human Rights Campaign, which styles itself as the largest LGBT civil rights group in the country, has endorsed Republican Sen. Mark Kirk for re-election. This decision is both pathetic and stupid on two levels.

Most immediately, Kirk's record on gay rights is far weaker than that of his Democratic opponent, Rep. Tammy Duckworth—according to no less an authority than HRC itself. In 2013-14, Kirk earned just a 78 percent score on HRC's report card, and in 2009-10, he managed an atrocious 39 percent. (Kirk has no rating for 2011-12, presumably because he missed many votes while recovering from a stroke.) By contrast, Duckworth, who was first elected to Congress in 2012, notched a perfect 100 percent in 2013-14. In what universe does it make sense for an advocacy group to support the candidate who is unambiguously worse on their key issues?

There's also a much broader problem: If you help Mark Kirk remain in office, you're helping Mitch McConnell cling to his job as majority leader. And if the GOP retains the Senate, do you think for a second they'll allow, say, the Employment Non-Discrimination Act to come up for a vote? Of course they won't. HRC isn't this dumb, but its leaders ure are acting like it.

There's a shameful reason for this rank idiocy, though.