Gannett news agency:

Ross Levi, executive director of the Empire State Pride Agenda, said gay-rights advocates would be working hard to get the four senators re-elected. He said their re-election would be important to the effort to legalize same-sex marriage in other states.

"As New Yorkers have seen loving same-sex couples getting married — and far from the world coming to an end and instead happy and stronger families — this becomes far less potent of a political issue," Levi said.

The senators received an influx of campaign cash from same-sex marriage supporters following the vote, and they have been feted at gay-rights events.