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Updated 06/30/2011 06:32 AM

Same-sex votes lead to political battle

By: Innae Park

Same sex marriage is now in the books in New York State, but the consequences for the historic vote are still in effect. YNN's Innae Park reports on the potential political backlash.

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ALBANY, N.Y.-- Soon after the legalization of same-sex marriage in New York, conservatives are cashing in to get New York legislators out.

The Washington-based National Organization for Marriage has announced it will be spending at least $2 million to oust those who voted for the bill.

Maggie Gallagher, the Chairman of the Board of NOM, said, "This $2 million is a pledge to make sure that Republican primary voters and all voters in the district understand that they have been betrayed for no good reason."

Of those 33 votes in favor of the equal marriage bill, seven were from state senators who changed their vote from earlier debates on same-sex marriage.

Now NOM is asking its supporters to retaliate through an email with photographs of those seven legislators and requesting donations for the cause.

"As a politician, you run one way and vote the other, it's really a bad idea. You're accountable to your constituents," said Gallagher. "This isn't over in New York. We're going to fight against this with the people of New York and win."

However, they are not the only ones in this political brawl. Ross Levi, the Executive Director of Empire State Pride Agenda, says they are ready to back up those who voted and will not back down.

"The Empire State Pride Agenda and the LGBT supporters have a long history of standing by those who stood by us," said Levi. "We sent out an action letter out to our members Wednesday, letting them know about the National Organization for Marriage's pledge to raise $2 million to take on these people who stood on the side of fairness and love. And we've already had a tremendous response."

While seven senators are on the bulls-eye of the conservative group, the entire party is also in range.

"Fundamentally, it's the majority leader, Dean Skelos, who decided to bring this up for a vote," said Gallagher. "The New York Republican party cannot be trusted on core issues that Republican voters care about."

Levi disagreed.

"They went and did the right thing," he said.

Currently, Gallagher says NOM is still developing the spending plan for the $2 million. As of now, it will be used through PAC contributions and independent expenditures.

For more information on the National Organization for Marriage, visit www.nationformarriage.org.

For more information on Empire State Pride Agenda, visit www.prideagenda.org.