The Empire State Pride Agenda, Inc. (“Pride Agenda”) is New York’s statewide, bi-partisan political advocacy organization committed to achieving equality and justice for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) New Yorkers and our families. Electing LGBT supporters at all levels of government, educating political candidates and endorsing and providing campaign assistance to those who support our public policy agenda is especially critical for the 2010 elections. By supporting candidates for elected office, we can increase the number of allies in government, solidify the commitment of current allies and hold opponents accountable. This year, we can show candidates that supporting our community is both the right thing to do – and politically prudent.
Endorsement Criteria
When deciding whether to endorse in a particular race, the Pride Agenda considers a number of factors including whether the endorsement furthers our public policy agenda, allows for coalition building with strategic allies, results in significant community or capacity building within the LGBT community, contributes to the election of LGBT candidates, and allows for specific public education on an issue of importance or has the potential to influence the outcome of an election.
The Pride Agenda’s Political Action Committee (PAC) makes specific endorsement decisions in consultation with Pride Agenda staff based on responses to the Pride Agenda candidate questionnaire, an examination of a candidate's voting record (for those who have previously held elected office) and the voting record of their opponent, a review of his or her public acts and statements and consultations with other organizations throughout New York State, including local LGBT organizations. Non-incumbents are also evaluated based upon the viability of their campaign.
About Our 2010 Primary Endorsements
We have endorsed 18 candidates for the 2010 Primary Elections on September 14. Endorsed candidates unequivocally stated their support for all the issues at the top of our public policy agenda including: the ability to legally marry in New York; prohibiting discrimination based on gender identity and expression; and, increasing the availability of state funding for community based organizations providing LGBT-specific health and human services. View our candidate questionnaires>
In short, our endorsements represent the Pride Agenda’s recommendations of which candidates, if elected, would best increase opportunities to achieve our objectives in New York State government.
Many elected officials who are allies of the LGBT community are not profiled in this voter guide because they have no primary opposition and are not on the September 14 primary ballot. These candidate races will be profiled in the Pride Agenda's General Election Voter Guide issued in October.
Get Involved
Please, do what you can to help make history in 2010. Volunteer, support and vote for these deserving candidates on Tuesday, September 14, 2010 – and spread the word about this primary election guide.
STATEWIDE RACE
Attorney General -- Sen. Eric Schneiderman (D), Open
Eric Schneiderman has been a tireless advocate for equality and justice for LGBT New Yorkers and our families. During his tenure in the State Senate, he has gone above and beyond simply voting for our rights: he has advocated for us in his district, marshaled pro-LGBT votes from his colleagues and led floor debates on our issues, such as marriage equality. He is not only a staunch supporter, but a true leader on LGBT issues.
Eric Schneiderman voted to pass the Hate Crimes Bill and the Sexual Orientation Non-Discrimination Act (SONDA). As a lead sponsor of the Dignity for All Students Act, which passed the Senate on June 22 with a bipartisan 58-3 vote, Schneiderman helped create legal protections for public school students from harassment and bullying, marking the first time that protections based on gender identity and expression would be included in state law. He is a cosponsor of the marriage equality bill and the Gender Expression Non-Discrimination Act (GENDA), which would ensure that all transgender New Yorkers are free from discrimination. He has also promised to vigorously enforce the statutes that protect the rights of the LGBT community.
We have every confidence that Eric Schneiderman will be a steadfast ally every step of the way as New York’s Attorney General.
NEW YORK STATE SENATE
SD 10 (Queens) – Lynn Nunes (D), Challenger
Lynn Nunes has proactively and unequivocally stated his support for marriage equality, transgender civil rights and other issues important to the LGBT community. His opponent has made no similar public commitment, nor submitted a candidate questionnaire seeking the Pride Agenda’s endorsement. To the contrary, she voted against New York giving marriage licenses to same-sex couples in the same way our government does for all other loving, committed couples. Given that clear distinction, the Pride Agenda has endorsed Lynn Nunes on behalf of the hundreds of our supporters who live in the 10th district and all voters who care about equality and justice for LGBT New Yorkers. We enthusiastically support Lynn Nunes as the candidate for Senator who has publicly committed himself to fairness for all the people of the 10th district.
SD 16 (Queens) – Toby Ann Stavisky (D), Incumbent
SD 18 (Brooklyn) -- Velmanette Montgomery (D), Incumbent
SD 30 (Harlem) – Bill Perkins (D), Incumbent
SD 31 (Upper Manhattan and Bronx) -- Adriano Espaillat (D), Open
SD 32 (Bronx) – Carlos Ramos (D), Challenger
SD 46 (Albany) – Neil Breslin (D), Incumbent
SD 58 (Buffalo) – Tim Kennedy (D), Challenger
Like our other endorsed candidates, Tim Kennedy stated in writing his unequivocal support for the issues at the top of the Pride Agenda’s public policy agenda, like achievement of a statewide transgender civil rights law, marriage equality and public funding for LGBT health and human services, as well as the dozens of other LGBT issues we ask about in our questionnaire. Furthermore, he has written that he would cosponsor the GENDA bill, marriage equality legislation, LGBT family legislation like survivor benefits for same-sex partners of police and firefighters, availability of domestic partner insurance coverage, equal treatment on state income tax for same-sex partners, and others.
Tim Kennedy faces a 30-year incumbent who voted against SONDA, the anti-discrimination law making it illegal to fire people from their job, evict them from an apartment or even deny them service in a restaurant simply because of their sexual orientation. More recently, his opponent was one of the decisive no votes against the marriage bill in the Senate, and has since made his opposition to our equality a central theme in his campaign, trying to turn Kennedy’s pro-LGBT stance against him. Kennedy has responded by publicly and clearly reiterating his support.
While the Pride Agenda disagrees with Tim Kennedy about his unwillingness to increase accessibility to abortions, we appreciate his stated support for family planning programs and comprehensive sex education. In fact, he said he would co-sponsor legislation to implement comprehensive, age appropriate, medically accurate HIV/AIDS and sex education curricula in schools. In contrast to his opponent who has a 100% approval rating from the New York Right to Live Committee, we are satisfied that Tim Kennedy represents at least a step forward on the issue of reproductive healthcare for the 58th district Senate seat.
The Pride Agenda endorses Tim Kennedy as someone who will lift the roadblock to fairness for LGBT people and be a consistent vote in favor of LGBT equality in the NYS Senate.
SD 60 (Buffalo) – Antoine Thompson (D), Incumbent
NEW YORK STATE ASSEMBLY
AD 35 (Queens) – Jeffrion Aubry (D), Incumbent
AD 39 (Queens) – Francisco Moya (D), Open
AD 42 (Brooklyn) -- Rhoda Jacobs (D), Incumbent
AD 73 (Manhattan) – Jonathan Bing (D), Incumbent
AD 76 (Bronx) – Peter M. Rivera (D), Incumbent
AD 80 (Bronx) – Naomi Rivera (D), Incumbent
AD 82 (Bronx) – Michael Benedetto (D), Incumbent
AD 114 (Plattsburgh/North Country) – Janet Duprey (R), Incumbent
AD 119 (Syracuse) – Phillip LaTessa (D), Open
AD 131 (Rochester) – Harry Bronson (D), Open
AD 144 (Buffalo) – Sam Hoyt (D), Incumbent