As the Archdiocese of Washington steps up its campaign against (all but certain) same-sex marriages in the District of Columbia, the Catholic governors of Maryland and Virginia, both Democrats, are crying foul.

Virginia’s Tim Kaine, a former missionary and head of the Democratic National Committee, and Maryland’s Martin O’Malley said it would be “wrong” for the archdiocese to yank its social service contracts in the city if same-sex marriage becomes legal.

Kaine: “I’m Catholic, and I think it’s wrong. I don’t think you take your ball and go home.”

Adds O’Malley: “I have a hard time believing that the nuns and priests who taught me about the Corporal Works of Mercy would agree that this is an appropriate response for the church.”

The capital is consumed with a debate on who’s threatening whom: Is the District threatening to impose standards that the church can’t swallow, or is the archdiocese threatening to pull out of social services? It depends who you ask.

For what it’s worth, church officials insist they could live with gay marriage (only if they have to) so long as it includes adequate religious-liberty protections that wouldn’t force groups like Catholic Charities to provide domestic partner benefits, adoptions and the like. Without those protections, which are not part of the current bill, church officials say they will have no choice but to pull out because the city is imposing unconscionable requirements. Stay tuned …