Showdown looms in NY on same-sex marriage

ALBANY -- The battle over the legalization of same-sex marriage is set for a showdown in the State Senate, with supporters galvanized by the power of Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo and opponents led by a coalition of religious groups.

Cuomo, fresh off a big win over a new state budget, made passage of gay marriage a campaign promise, and he plans to head out on a statewide tour to push for it along with several high-profile items on his agenda, including a property tax cap and new ethics legislation.

But opponents, including prominent clergy members, have said they will step up their campaign to block same-sex marriage. The fate of the measure, which would make New York the sixth state in the nation with gay marriage, will be decided in the Senate, which voted down a similar proposal in 2009.

Debate at a tipping point

Majority Leader Dean Skelos (R-Rockville Centre) opposes the legislation but has promised to bring it to his Republican conference to determine whether to let it come up for a vote.

Though the prospects for passage are still uncertain, proponents believe Cuomo's upcoming tour could signal a tipping point in the battle. A Siena College poll in early April found 58 percent of registered voters in support of same-sex marriage and 36 percent in opposition.

While Cuomo aides have been assisting same-sex marriage supporters behind the scenes, the tour will make the governor more personally and publicly involved. The first-year Democratic governor said he's optimistic about the impact of his efforts. "I'll bring more urgency in the next few weeks," Cuomo said recently.

It's just the latest in a series of initiatives and announcements rolled out over the last month by supporters of legalizing same-sex marriage: a $1 million fundraising drive for a media blitz, a letter signed by two dozen high-profile business leaders, a petition signed by more than 700 clergy members and, slated for Monday, a major "lobby day" at the State Capitol.

Mobilizing for the cause

At the same time, proponents continue to add to the endorsements from celebrities and politicians, with former President Bill Clinton and his daughter Chelsea only the latest. Bill Clinton, who while in office signed legislation banning federal recognition of same-sex marriages, said last week that the time is right for legalization. Chelsea Clinton began volunteering at a "New Yorkers United for Marriage" phone bank.

Opponents had appeared slow to mobilize -- until Cuomo's announcement on Wednesday. But they now are launching counter moves.

New Yorkers Family Research Foundation, a lobbying group for evangelical churches, kicked off a "Mayday for Marriage" tour shortly after Cuomo's announcement. The National Organization for Marriage, a lobbying group based in Washington, D.C., has said it is ready to mobilize.

The clergy weighs in

Sen. Ruben Diaz Sr. (D-Bronx), a Pentecostal minister and an outspoken opponent of gay marriage, has said he will hold a rally for traditional marriage on May 15.

"It has nothing to do with hate," Diaz told reporters. "It has to do with religious belief."

Archbishop Timothy Dolan, head of the Archdiocese of New York, also has urged lawmakers to oppose legalization. In a "60 Minutes" interview in March, the Catholic prelate urged lawmakers not to change the definition of "authentic marriage."

In contrast, a group of more than 700 clergy members, calling their group "Pride in the Pulpit," delivered a petition at the Capitol in support of same-sex marriage. The group, along with gay and lesbian activists, said they hope their action changes the dynamic of the debate, showing that not all religious groups are opposed.

"Legislators need to hear from sectors they are not used to hearing from," said Ross Levi, head of the Empire State Pride Agenda.

It's not clear yet if Cuomo, by force of his efforts, could reverse the outcome of 2009, when the Senate defeated a bill to legalize same-sex marriage, 38-24. Seven Long Island Republicans voted no; two Democrats yes. But the two Democrats have since been voted out of office, making the delegation all Republican. The Democrat-led Assembly has passed the measure several times.

But even if Cuomo fails, experts said he could recover easily.

"He wins either way," said Democratic strategist Hank Sheinkopf. "Because he's putting his energy into it, people on the left see him as taking up the gauntlet. If he can make it a bipartisan issue and succeeds in getting it passed, he can come off as the nonpartisan, all-business politician."