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发帖数: 19713 | 1 Substantial LGBT Support for Pro-Equality GOP Lawmakers in New York
By Andrew Harmon
NEW YORK EMPIRE STATE BUILDING RAINBOW X390 (FAIR) | ADVOCATE.COM
A group of Republican state senators in New York who stepped out in support
of marriage equality last summer continues to reap significant campaign
contributions from the LGBT community.
The New York Timesreports on the lawmakers, Senators Stephen Saland, Roy
McDonald, Mark Grisanti, and James Alesi:
The support for the four senators, whose votes broke ranks with their party,
is seen by gay rights leaders as symbolically important for their movement
nationally, because in many states same-sex marriage could become law only
with support from Republicans, as well as conservative Democrats. Maryland,
New Jersey and Washington State are expected to consider same-sex marriage
legislation this year.
The four New York Republicans had been threatened with political retribution
by the state’s Conservative Party, and now face possible challenges from
both the left and the right, but same-sex marriage supporters had promised
to help them politically if they supported the issue.
“It was essential to send a clear signal around the country that we will
support those who support equality, irrespective of party,” said Brian
Ellner, a senior strategist for the Human Rights Campaign, a gay rights
group.“We were able to win marriage in New York with a bipartisan coalition
of fair-minded elected officials. We need to replicate that if we are to
keep winning.” (Read the article here.)
National Organization for Marriage president Brian Brown, whose group is
actively working to unseat the GOP lawmakers, asserted that “all the money
in the world isn’t going to buy them out of the fact that they’re about to
lose an election.” |
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