The New York Eight, infamous group of Democrats that helped derail Thomas Duane's marriage equality bill has it's first primary challenger. Empire State Pride Agenda sent out a press releaseendorsing NY Assembly member José Peraltain his bid to unseat Hiram Monserrate in his Senate seat.
“José Peralta has demonstrated time and time again that he is a champion of equality and justice for all New Yorkers and has consistently represented the interests of his district in the New York State Assembly,” said Empire State Pride Agenda Executive Director Alan Van Capelle. “His record on LGBT issues demonstrates that he does not duck-and-run when our bills come up for a vote. He has stood up for us in the Assembly, and we will stand with him in his race for the State Senate.”
This is sort of a gimmee in the bid to pick up the eight votes needed to pass marriage equality through the New York Senate. Monserrate's chances of returning to Albany are somewhere in the range of us swearing in President Michelle Bachmann come 2012.
Not because of his traitorous no vote on marriage equality. But because he's been an all around scumbag, who infamously avoided jail last week for assaulting his girlfriend and slashing her face with a broken glass. Voters aren't too keen on those kinds of things in New York City. We're funny that way.
Still, this is good news. Peralta is well-known, and well-liked in the community, has strong progressive credentials all around, evidenced by his record in the New York Assembly. It's good to see good guys like him move up in the world.
And, given how heavily Latino the district is, it surely won't be an electoral handicap that the community is being ask to vote for one of their own.
I linked to his Assembly page above, Facebook users can find him here, and you can send him a littleActBlue luvin' here. Just spreading good news.