After N.Y. Win, Marriage Equality Advocates Target Gov. Chris Christie and New Jersey as Next Battleground

With last Friday’s vote in the New York State Senate to legalize same-sex marriage, marriage equality advocates are now targeting the Garden State as the next battleground for equal rights.

The victory in the Republican-controlled State Senate, with four Republicans – Sens. James Alesi, Stephen Saland, Roy McDonald, and Mark Grisanti – breaking ranks with their conference to join 29 Democrats in support of the bill, gives supporters hope that New Jersey will follow the Empire State in allowing same sex marriage.

Gov. Chris Christie (R-N.J.), who’s been cited as a potential 2012 GOP presidential candidate, said on NBC’s Meet the Press, “I believe marriage should be between one man and one woman,” Christie said. “That’s my view.  And — and that’ll be the view of our state because I wouldn’t sign a bill that — like the one that was in New York,” Christie continued.

New Jersey – with its nearly nine million residents – is a natural next-step due to its proximity to New York State, its location between both New York City and Philadelphia (a major reason why media campaigns in New Jersey are among the most expensive in the country). James McGreevey – the former openly gay Governor of New Jersey – remains hopeful in his home state’s prospects.

“I think ten years ago what (Governor) Christie said was the norm by Democrats and Republicans and I think that will change,” said former Gov. McGreevey on CNN’s In the Arena. “I think Gov. Christie, or whoever’s governor across this nation, they will catch up with the decency of the American public.”

Friday’s 33-29 vote of the Senate made the Empire State the sixth and largest state so far. The most significant part of the passage is that New York State has no residency requirement for marriage applicants.

New Jersey has a civil union law in place, a law that Christie endorses. On CNN’s Piers Morgan Tonight, Christie stated, “But I am in favor of making sure that homosexual couples have the same type of legal rights that same — that heterosexual couples have.” LGBT rights group Lambda Legal plans on holding a press conference in Trenton to address the issue this week.

Similar to California, supporters in New Jersey are looking to the courts instead of the legislature for an answer.

“Last year, the Supreme Court invited our side to file a lawsuit to prove that the civil union law was not providing equality to same-sex couples in New Jersey,” Steve Goldstein, the chairman of Garden State Equality said. “That seems like a very wise indication to accept.”

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