ALBANY – The state’s major gay rights lobbying organization has released its political endorsements for this fall, and two Western New York lawmakers made the list.
Senator Mark Grisanti of Buffalo is the sole Senate Republican backed by the Empire State Pride Agenda, the group announced today. Grisanti switched his position last year and backed legalization of gay marriage rights. [Three other Senate Republicans crossed party lines to also back the law; of those, one is retiring and the other two incumbents – Steve Saland and Roy McDonald – did not receive the Empire Pride’s endorsement today.]
Senator Tim Kennedy, a South Buffalo Democrat, was the only other lawmaker from Western New York backed by the group. No Assembly member from the region made the endorsement list.
Grisanti was one of only two Republicans – the other is a North Country Assemblywoman – getting the group’s endorsement.
Erica Pelletreau, a spokeswoman for the gay rights organization, said other endorsements could still be coming later in the election season.
-- Tom Precious
