NOM BLOG

NYT Blog: "Upstate Senator Loses Support After Voting for Gay Marriage"

 

Voting to redefine marriage has consequences, as John Eligon of the New York Times City Room blog writes:

In the first political rebuke of one of the four Republican state senators who voted for same-sex marriage, the Erie County Conservative Party has endorsed a Democrat who is challengingMark J. Grisanti’s re-election bid.

The county party’s chairman, Ralph C. Lorigo, said Senator Grisanti had lost its trust after twice telling party executives, in 2008 and 2010, that he was not in favor of same-sex marriage, and then voting last year to legalize it.

“A lot of people felt betrayed by that commitment that he broke,” Mr. Lorigo said in an interview on Friday.

The party instead endorsed Charles M. Swanick, a former member of the Erie County Legislature who once changed his affiliation to Republican before returning to the Democrats. Mr. Lorigo said Mr. Swanick had told the county’s Conservatives that he was against same-sex marriage and abortion and in favor of fiscally conservative policies.

“Swanick is not a fall-in-line Democrat,” Mr. Lorigo said. “Swanick will vote his conscience. He’s made a commitment to us that on our issues, on our values, he will vote his conscience.”

... Mr. Grisanti’s seat is important in the battle for the Senate, where Republicans hold a three-seat majority. Groups opposed to same-sex marriage across the country have vowed to work to prevent the four Republicans who voted for it from winning re-election.

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