Same-Sex Marriage Within One Vote of Passage in NY

[t0dd]

Source: NYT

ALBANY– New York is within a single vote of legalizing gay marriage, after a second Republican state senator said on Tuesday that he would support the measure should it come to the floor this week.

The senator, Roy J. McDonald, from the capital region, made his comments to reporters amid growing indications that Republican leaders would bring the bill to an up or down vote on Thursday or Friday. Three other Republican state senators, speaking on condition of anonymity because their conference had not yet formally debated the measure, said they believed the bill was almost certain to come up for a vote and that it would likely pass, making New York the sixth and largest state in the nation to legalize same-sex marriage.

The vote tally in the state Senate now stands at 31 out of 62 members, with one more vote needed to approve the marriage measure. The Assembly has passed similar bills several times before, and is likely to do so again this week if the Senate moves ahead.

“I think I’m doing the right thing, it’s the appropriate thing, and if the public respects that, I’m grateful. If they don’t, then I move on,” said Mr. McDonald, as reporters pressed him in the Capitol for his decision.

Read more: http://cityroom.blogs.nytimes.com/2011/06/14/same-sex-marriage-within-one-vote-of-passage-in-albany/

[RyanPsych]

1. email/call your senators

if you live in NY!

If you can- donate to the appropriate LGBT organizations!

:grouphug:

[Snoutport]

2. good point!

[brooklynite]

3. Roy McDonald is 31st vote for same-sex marriage (NY)

Source: Albany Times-Union

Senator Roy McDonald, R-Saratoga, told the Times Union Tuesday that he will back a bill legalizing same-sex marriage. He becomes the 31st senator to proclaim his public support for the bill. It needs 32 votes to pass the Senate.

“I’m trying to do the right thing,” he said. “Rather than wait I worked with the governor…I’m not out to alienate anybody. This is driven by compassion.”

“My lifestyle is my lifestyle — I don’t want anyone telling me or my children what to do,” he said. “We’ve got 20 million people in this state…we can’t be paralyzed by social issues.”

“It’s my own evolution,” he said. “I think there’s going to be a vote on Friday.

Read more: http://blog.timesunion.com/capitol/archives/70687/roy-mcdonald-is-31st-vote-for-same-sex-marriage/

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This is extremely close. Sen Greg Ball is expected to vote "No", so this boils down to one Hudson Valley Republican.

[t0dd]

4. I think there are several still in play

Greg Ball, Stephen Saland, Betty Little, Andrew Lanza, and now apparently Mark Grisanti

http://www.wgrz.com/news/article/124689/37/Grisanti-Now-Undecided-on-Gay-Marriage-Bill-

[richmwill]

5. I wouldn't count on Ball...

He's my local State Senator. He spent most of last year organizing "Tea Party Rallies".

[brooklynite]

6. We would have the votes today...

...except for one religious bigot (Ruben Diaz, Sr.) in the Democratic caucus.

[No Elephants]

7. Good for Cuomo for making them go on record!