(NY State) Senator Who Backed Gay Unions Won’t Run
Source: New York Times
James S. Alesi, one of four Republican state senators in New York who voted in favor of same-sex marriage last year, said Wednesday night that he would not seek re-election because he did not want to go through a difficult primary campaign and put Republican control of the State Senate at risk in November.
Senator Alesi, 64, who has represented the Rochester area in the Legislature since 1992, had struggled in recent weeks to win support from important Republican committees in his district. He was expected to face a primary challenge from Assemblyman Sean T. Hanna.
It would have been a very grueling primary for both of us, Mr. Alesi said in an interview after making his decision public on a cable television show. We would not have won an additional Republican seat. I did not see the benefit of making it easier for a Democratic challenger to go up against a battle-weary Republican in November.
He said he did not want to jeopardize what is best for New York State, adding, In my view, it is the current balance of power, with the Republican Senate working with this Democratic governor.
Read more: http://www.nytimes.com/2012/05/10/nyregion/republican-senator-who-backed-gay-marriage-wont-seek-re-election.html
duh........
LynneSin
(95,337 posts)You almost wish this was the republican party we were fighting with - the country could be so much better of a place.