N.Y. Senate Republicans Undecided on a Gay Marriage Vote

[t0dd]

Source: NYT

ALBANY —Senate Republican leaders said on Wednesday that they have not decided whether to take a vote on legalizing same-sex marriage, as advocates mounted a full-court press to garner the one vote still needed to pass the measure into law before the scheduled end of this year’s legislative session on Monday.

Thirty-one members of the 62-seat Senate have now publicly backed the legislation, including two Republicans who have emerged in recent days to say they would vote for same-sex marriage. The Republican-controlled chamber, where gay marriage was defeated two years ago by a wide margin, is seen as the last obstacle to the measure, which is strongly supported by Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo, a first-term Democrat, and has passed the Democratic-controlled state Assembly several times before.

Republican senators met for four hours Wednesday to discuss the marriage issue, and, as they emerged, they said they had not yet reached a consensus about bringing the bill to a vote. The state Assembly now plans to vote on the bill Wednesday afternoon, after Mr. Cuomo agreed to send the “message of necessity” required for an immediate vote because the bill language was just formally introduced on Tuesday.

Should the bill pass, New York will become the sixth and largest state in which gay and lesbian couples can legally wed, intensifying a complex national debate over the role of homosexuals in American society and giving new momentum to a movement that had stalled in recent years.

Read more: http://cityroom.blogs.nytimes.com/2011/06/15/new-york-senate-republicans-undecided-about-whether-to-allow-same-sex-marriage-vote/

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They are reluctant to take a vote because they know it'll pass.

[gtar100]

1. They must be undecided because the think tank didn't tell them what to think.

I'm sure they'll find it in them to do what's in their hearts - their cold, mean, prickly hearts.

[jkappy]

4. And Waiting To Garner Favors from Gov Cuomo n/t

[brooklynite]

2. No, I think they're relucatant to take a vote because...

...they know they're going to get blowback no matter how they vote.

[nyy1998]

3. Exactly, alienate your base or alienate the majority of NY voters

They're between a rock and a hard place it seems like

[brooklynite]

5. Senate GOP punts same-sex marriage decision (NY)

Source: Albany Times-Union

After a marathon, four-hour closed conference session, Republican senators said they had not decided whether to bring a bill legalizing same-sex marriage to the Senate floor. There are 31 publicly committed votes for the bill, one shy of what is needed for passage.

“We will continue to conference the issue tomorrow,” Senate Majority Leader Dean Skelos said, emerging briefly. He said the discussion was “tremendous” and “thoughtful.” Tuesday, he predicted action on the bill would come Friday. It’s unclear whether the GOP is holding off on the vote to increase leverage as they negotiate a property tax cap and renewal of rent regulations.

Other senators moved toward the chamber’s floor, staying as true as they could to the ‘undecided’ message. Sen. Andrew Lanza, a Staten Island Republican who is thought to be a possible 32nd vote for the same-sex marriage bill, said, “I’m in the same place I was yesterday.” (He denied the same-sex marriage issue was tied to other issues.)

Read more: http://blog.timesunion.com/capitol/archives/70875/senate-gop-punts-same-sex-marriage-decision/

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I've heard, through reliable sources, that Gov. Cuomo was negotiating partisan redistricting in exchange for Gay Marriage. If they're not prepared to vote at all, we'd better be prepared to play hardball.

[MineralMan]

6. It sucks that marriage rights are a negotiating tool.

They should not be.

[TheWraith]

7. That's backwards--it's fair and honest redistricting that's the negotiating tool.

Or rather, what we'd be giving up. Although that's not guaranteed.

[MineralMan]

8. And marriage equality is the chip that's being used.

Redistricting always gets down to bargaining other stuff. It sucks too.

[no_hypocrisy]

9. The last republican who votes to send the bill to the Floor can write off getting funds

for re-election and/or face a primary challenger from the Party.

[brooklynite]

10. Little more complicated in NY...

We have minority Parties that cross-post candidates. Existing incumbents will almost certainly get Republican nod again, but may lose Conservative Party slot, which can be good for 8-10,000 votes.