GOP Claims Leadership of N.Y. Senate

Following weeks of recounting since the elections, Republicans have declared enough seats to lead the New York state senate, the legislative chamber on which the future of marriage equality depends.

According to The New York Times, "On Saturday, a State Supreme Court justice rejected a hand recount of a crucial State Senate race in Nassau County, and as a result declared Jack Martins, a Republican, the winner over the incumbent, Senator Craig M. Johnson, a Democrat.

"And while Democrats quickly vowed to appeal, Republicans said Mr. Martins's election would enable them to claim 32 of 62 Senate seats, with one contest still in question."

Analysts said the Republican majority would not be a wholly unwelcome development for governor-elect Andrew Cuomo, a pro-equality Democrat elected on a fiscally conservative platform in a state facing escalating budget deficits.

Advocates hope to see another vote on the marriage equality bill in 2011. Last year, under the Democrat-controlled senate, the bill failed by a 38-24 vote, with not a single Republican voting in favor. The presumptive new senate majority leader, Dean Skelos, opposes marriage equality but said in October that he would recommend the bill be brought to the floor for a vote.