The Pride Agenda is proud of its productive relationship with the leadership in the New York State Senate, especially Senate Majority Leader Joseph L. Bruno (R) (Troy) and Senate Minority Leader David A. Paterson (D) (Manhattan). Under their leadership, the Senate has passed a hate crimes law for New York State, the Sexual Orientation Non-Discrimination Act (SONDA), 9/11 relief fully inclusive of LGBT families, and a law ensuring equal hospital and nursing home visitation for domestic partners. In addition to the Senate leadership, the Pride Agenda makes the following endorsements in the New York State Senate:

SENATE DISTRICT #10 - Ada L. Smith (D-WFP) (Queens; Incumbent)

Senator Smith has been a consistent supporter of the LGBT community, having voted correctly on all LGBT issues that have come before her recently including the Sexual Orientation Non Discrimination Act (SONDA). She has also pledged continued support for issues of concern to our community, including equal rights and responsibilities for our families and opposition to a state Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA). Empire State Pride Agenda is proud to endorse her candidacy for New York's 10th Senate District.

SENATE DISTRICT #13 - John D. Sabini (D-WFP) (Queens; Incumbent)

Elected to office in November of 2002, Senator Sabini has been a consistent supporter of the LGBT community, having voted correctly on all LGBT issues that have come before him recently. He has also pledged continued support for issues of concern to our community, including equal rights and responsibilities for our families and opposition to a state Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA). Empire State Pride Agenda is proud to endorse his candidacy for New York's 13th Senate District.

SENATE DISTRICT #21 - Kevin S. Parker (D-WFP) (Brooklyn; Incumbent)

Elected to office in November of 2002, Senator Parker has been a consistent supporter of the LGBT community, having voted correctly on all LGBT issues that have come before him recently. He has also pledged continued support for issues of concern to our community, including equal rights and responsibilities for our families and opposition to a state Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA). Empire State Pride Agenda is proud to endorse his candidacy for New York's 21st Senate District.

SENATE DISTRICT #23 - Diane J. Savino (D-WFP) (Brooklyn; Open Seat)

Diane Savino is running for the seat vacated by retiring Senator Seymour Lachman. Ms. Savino has vowed to act as a strong advocate for the LGBT community and work to pass legislation supported by the Pride Agenda, stating: "Members of the LBGT community should support my candidacy because I have supported the LGBT community and will continue to support the LGBT community in the State Senate. Furthermore, I have spent my entire professional career advocating on behalf of people who have been marginalized or mistreated." Empire State Pride Agenda is proud to endorse her candidacy for New York's 23rd Senate District.

Ms. Savino's opponent is Republican Alfred Curtis. Mr. Curtis did not seek the Pride Agenda's endorsement.

SENATE DISTRICT #25 - Martin E. Connor (D-WFP) (Brooklyn; Incumbent)

Senator Connor has been a consistent supporter of the LGBT community, having voted correctly on all LGBT issues that have come before him recently including the Sexual Orientation Non Discrimination Act (SONDA). He has also pledged continued support for issues of concern to our community, including equal rights and responsibilities for our families and opposition to a state Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA). Empire State Pride Agenda is proud to endorse his candidacy for New York's 25th Senate District.

SENATE DISTRICT #26 - Liz Krueger (D-WFP) (Manhattan; Incumbent)

Senator Krueger has been a consistent supporter of the LGBT community, having voted correctly on all LGBT issues that have come before her recently including the Sexual Orientation Non Discrimination Act (SONDA). She has also pledged continued support for issues of concern to our community, including equal rights and responsibilities for our families and opposition to a state Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA). Empire State Pride Agenda is proud to endorse her candidacy for New York's 26th Senate District.

SENATE DISTRICT #28 - Jose Serrano (D-WFP) (Bronx; Challenger)

Currently serving his second term representing the 17th Council District in New York City, Jose M. Serrano is running for the seat presently held by Senator Olga Mendez (R). Mr. Serrano has publicly come out in support of same-sex marriage because, in his own words, "All people regardless of age, class, gender, or sexual orientation are entitled to abridged equal rights and responsibilities under the law." As a co-sponsor of the local version of the bill in New York City, he has vowed to advocate within the Senate to pass the Dignity for All Students Act. Mr. Serrano has also committed to expanding funding for the health and human services needs of New York's LGBT community. Empire State Pride Agenda is proud to endorse his candidacy for New York's 28h Senate District.

Mr. Serrano is challenging Republican incumbent, Olga Mendez. While Senator Mendez has voted for all LGBT legislation that has come before her including the Sexual Orientation Non Discrimination Act (SONDA), she did not return a questionnaire to the Pride Agenda prior to the deadline for seeking our endorsement.

SENATE DISTRICT #29 - Thomas K. Duane (D-WFP) (Manhattan; Incumbent)

As the first and only openly gay member of the Senate, Tom Duane has been a consistent supporter of the LGBT community, having voted correctly on all LGBT issues that have come before him during this term including the Sexual Orientation Non Discrimination Act (SONDA). He has co-sponsored numerous bills including the Gender Expression Non-Discrimination Act (GENDA), the Marriage Equality Bill, and the Dignity for All Students Act (DASA). He has also pledged continued support for issues of concern to our community, including equal rights and responsibilities for our families and opposition to a state Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA). Empire State Pride Agenda is proud to endorse his candidacy for New York's 29th Senate District.

Senator Duane's challenger is Republican Emily A. Csendes who has expressed to the Pride Agenda her support for a number of LGBT issues, including equal rights and responsibilities for our families. She indicated that while she supports a woman's right to reproductive freedom including abortion, that she would place a restriction on, "Abortions after the point of viability, except where the mother's health and life are at risk."

SENATE DISTRICT #30 - David A. Paterson (D-WFP) (Manhattan; Incumbent)

As Senate Minority Leader and a legislator, Senator Paterson has been a consistent supporter of the LGBT community, having voted correctly on all LGBT issues that have come before him recently including the Sexual Orientation Non Discrimination Act (SONDA). Empire State Pride Agenda is proud to endorse his candidacy for New York's 30th Senate District.

SENATE DISTRICT #31 - Eric T. Schneiderman (D-WFP) (Manhattan; Incumbent)

Senator Schneiderman has been a consistent supporter of the LGBT community, having voted correctly on all LGBT issues that have come before him recently including the Sexual Orientation Non Discrimination Act (SONDA). He has sponsored a bill to create a domestic partnership system for New York State. Empire State Pride Agenda is proud to endorse his candidacy for New York's 25th Senate District.

SENATE DISTRICT #34 - Jeffrey Klein (D) (Bronx; Open Seat)

Assemblymember Klein is running for the seat vacated by Republican Senator Guy Vellella. While serving in the Assembly, Mr. Klein voted for all LGBT legislation that came before him including the Sexual Orientation Non Discrimination Act (SONDA). He has also expressed his support for equal access to marriage for same-sex couples and pledged to vote against a state Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA). He has stated, "The Empire State Pride Agenda shares my vision of a New York where all families are afforded equal rights and protections, and all individuals are treated with dignity and respect in our schools, communities, workplaces and courts." Empire State Pride Agenda is proud to endorse his candidacy for New York's 34th Senate District.

Sharing the ballot with Mr. Klein are Republican John Fleming and Conservative Party endorsee Stephen Kaufman. Neither candidate sought the Pride Agenda's endorsement.

SENATE DISTRICT #35 - Nicholas A. Spano (R-WFP) (Yonkers; Incumbent)

Senator Spano has been a consistent supporter of the LGBT community, having voted correctly on all LGBT issues that have come before him recently including the Sexual Orientation Non Discrimination Act (SONDA). He has sponsored bills including the New York hate crimes law and the domestic partner hospital and nursing home visitation law recently signed by the Governor. Though he has also pledged continued support for issues of concern to our community, the candidate did not specifically commit to voting against a state Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA). Nevertheless, based on his past history of supporting full equality for our community, Empire State Pride Agenda is pleased to endorse his candidacy for New York's 35th Senate District.

Senator Spano's challenger is Andrea Stewart-Cousins, a Democrat who has expressed to the Pride Agenda her support for a number of LGBT issues, including equal rights and responsibilities for our families.

SENATE DISTRICT #46 - Neil D. Breslin (D-WFP) (Albany; Incumbent)

Senator Breslin has been a consistent supporter of the LGBT community, having voted correctly on all LGBT issues that have come before him recently including the Sexual Orientation Non Discrimination Act (SONDA). He has also pledged continued support for issues of concern to our community, including equal rights and responsibilities for our families and opposition to a state Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA). Empire State Pride Agenda is proud to endorse his candidacy for New York's 46th Senate District.

SENATE DISTRICT #49 - Nancy Larraine Hoffmann (R) (Syracuse; Incumbent)

Senator Hoffmann has been a consistent supporter of the LGBT community, having voted correctly on all LGBT issues that have come before her recently. Ms. Hoffmann was the sponsor of the Sexual Orientation Non Discrimination Act (SONDA), advocating on the Senate floor and lobbying other Republican Senators to ensure passage of the bill. Though she has also pledged continued support for issues of concern to our community, the candidate did not specifically commit to voting against a state Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA). Nevertheless, based on her past history of supporting full equality for our community, Empire State Pride Agenda is pleased to endorse her candidacy for New York's 35th Senate District.

Senator Hoffmann's challenger is David Valesky, a Democrat who has expressed to the Pride Agenda his support for LGBT issues, including equal rights and responsibilities for our families.

SENATE DISTRICT #60 - Byron W. Brown (D-WFP) (Buffalo; Incumbent)

Senator Brown has been a consistent supporter of the LGBT community, having voted correctly on all LGBT issues that have come before him recently including the Sexual Orientation Non Discrimination Act (SONDA). He has also pledged continued support for issues of concern to our community, including equal rights and responsibilities for our families and opposition to a state Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA). On the issue of reproductive choice, he says he supports a woman's right to reproductive freedom including abortion but says, "I generally am not in favor of 'partial birth abortions' except in cases of rape, incest or severe health concerns." While we may not agree with all of Senator Brown's positions regarding reproductive freedom, Empire State Pride Agenda is pleased to endorse his candidacy for New York's 60th Senate District.