How To Lose Control of the State Senate

How To Lose Control of the State Senate

Make it clear that you are going to shove through same-sex marriage, over the opposition of fellow Democrats. From the June 8, 2009 New York Post:

ALBANY -- Republicans appear to have retaken control of the state Senate this afternoon after two dissident Democrats crossed the aisle in a parliamentary coup.

"An historic change in leadership is taking place at this moment and a new bipartisan, coalition is being established that is bringing real reform to the Senate RIGHT NOW," according to a news advisory sent out by the GOP.

The Associated Press reported that two Democrats -- Hiram Monserrate of Queens and Pedro Espada, Jr. of the Bronx -- are poised to announce that they have decided to caucus with the GOP out of anger at Senate Majority Leader Malcolm Smith.

The flip gives Republicans a 32-30 edge in the chamber and ensures that Smith is no longer the majority leader.

...

The effort was a surprise in a Capitol where leaks and counter-leaks are common. It follows a tumultuous period since Democrats won their first majority in nearly a half-century. Espada, Monserrate, Diaz and Sen. Carl Kruger of Brooklyn challenged the nascent majority immediately, threatening to side with Republicans if the Democratic conference didn't give them specific leadership posts and policy considerations, including a promise that a same-sex marriage bill never reach the floor.

...

The coup throws into doubt the movement to legalize same-sex marriage, one of the major policy issues still in the balance for the last two weeks of the regular session. Although passed in the Democrat-led Assembly, it is stalled in the Senate. Several Republicans and Sen. Ruben Diaz, a Bronx Democrat oppose the measure.

There are lots of socially conservative Democrats out there; if Republicans would consistently be the party of traditional values, and make a point of it, I suspect that there are a lot of Democrats who would seriously reconsider their allegiance. Trying to pretend that GOP stands for Gay Old Party just isn't going to work.