NY Sen. Tom Duane: We Have The Votes

Openly gay NY Sen. Tom Duane is continuing to claim that a win on marriage equality is possible in the state Senate, saying that he is confident that the required 32 votes are there.

Sen. Thomas Duane (D-Manhattan) said he's received assurances of support from more than the 32 senators needed to approve the bill. "I have the votes," said Duane, who predicted the Senate would vote on the matter before the end of its session this month. Duane declined to say which senators had agreed to support the bill, but said the list included some Republicans. Senate Majority Leader Malcolm Smith (D-Queens) and gay-marriage advocates stopped short of backing Duane's claim, saying only that the measure is gaining momentum. "There's still work to be done," said Alan Van Capelle, executive director of the Empire State Pride Agenda.

Senate Majority Leader Malcolm Smith has said that he will not allow the issue to come to a vote unless he is convinced that a win is at hand. Others suspect Smith of having made a secret deal with anti-gay state Sen. Ruben Diaz in return for Diaz having supported Smith for the leadership post.