A promised push led by Governor Andrew
Cuomo to legalize gay marriage in New York begins Wednesday, the New
York Times reported.
Supporters will attempt to overcome
their 2009 loss in the Senate with a new campaign this week.
According to the Times, Cuomo's
office will play a prominent role in this year's effort, which will
band together prominent gay rights groups Human Rights Campaign
(HRC), Empire State Pride Agenda, Freedom to Marry and Marriage
Equality New York (MENY) to form a single group called New Yorkers
United for Marriage.
The coalition is expected to raise more
than $1 million for a television and radio ad blitz, hire Cuomo media
strategist Jennifer Cunningham and her firm, SKD Knickerbocker, to
oversee the push, and target more than a dozen senators, Democrats
and Republicans.
To win passage of the legislation –
and make New York the sixth state to offer gay marriage – the
coalition will need to convince six senators to reverse course.
Supporters are taking their cues from
their stinging defeat, which they say was the result of an
undisciplined effort.
“Last time, there were lots of
players, lots of organizations, lots of good will, but not the truly
united effort that has come together to work hand in glove with the
governor and legislative leaders,” said Evan Wolfson, president of
Freedom to Marry.
“If this gets done, it's though
coordination,” Steven M. Cohen, a senior aide to the governor,
reportedly told advocates.
Supporters say they're counting on
Cuomo's immense popularity and new
polls that show a large majority (58%) of New Yorker support the
institution to help get the legislation to the finish line.