The National Organization for Marriage
(NOM) has erected billboards targeted against New York senators who
voted in favor of a gay marriage law.
The nation's most vociferous opponent
of marriage equality has pledged to spend $40,000 on a billboard
campaign that targets the re-election campaigns of Senators Mark
Grisanti of Buffalo, Stephen Saland of Poughkeepsie, James Alesi of
Rochester, Roy McDonald of Saratoga Springs and Shirley Huntley of
Queens, all of whom are Republicans except for Huntley.
One billboard says, “JAMES ALESI –
YOU'RE NEXT,” and directs passersby to the website
LetThePeopleVote.com.
The message is a reference to the
recent failed Congressional campaign of Assemblyman David Weprin, who
voted in favor of the gay marriage bill. NOM claims Weprin's vote
doomed his congressional aspirations. But neither Weprin nor his
rival, Republican Bob Turner, discussed the issue during the
campaign.
“Just like David Weprin discovered
earlier this month when he faced voters after redefining marriage,
Mark Grisanti, Stephen Saland, James Alesi, Roy McDonald and Shirley
Huntley will soon discover that the people of New York will not sit
idly by while the institution of marriage is redefined without voters
having any say in the matter,” said NOM President Brian Brown.
“NOM and our Let The People Vote coalition will not rest until
these legislators are turned out of office and the people of New York
are allowed to vote on the definition of marriage.”