ALBANY – Gay marriage emerged as a central issue in the fight for control of the Senate yesterday, after a key lawmaker vowed to withhold support from any leader who would push to legalize same-sex nuptials.
Sen. Ruben Diaz Sr. of The Bronx – one of three rogue Democrats threatening to spoil the party’s hard-fought rise to Senate dominance in January – called on Democratic leader Malcolm Smith to pledge publicly not to advance the issue.
“Just give it to me in writing that you will not bring the gay marriage to the floor and you got me,” Diaz told The Post.
Democrats gained at least two seats in the 62-seat Senate last week, potentially giving the party a majority for the first time since 1965 and toppling the Republicans’ last outpost of statewide power.
But celebrations have been postponed by Diaz and two other dissident Democrats – Sen. Carl Kruger and Sen.-elect Pedro Espada Jr. – who have exploited the chamber’s expected 32-30 split to set terms on its leadership.
Diaz, a Pentecostal minister, has frequently broken with the Democrats on social issues. The other two renegade Democrats have enjoyed cozy relationships with Republicans amid feuds with their party.
Lame-duck Majority Leader Dean Skelos (R-LI) has sought support from the self-described “Three Amigos” in a last-ditch effort to maintain GOP control next year.
The narrow divide has been all the more sensitive in the absence of a lieutenant governor, who usually casts a tie-breaking vote in the Senate. The office was left vacant when David Paterson ascended to the governor’s office earlier this year following the resignation of Gov. Eliot Spitzer.
The Assembly voted last year to legalize gay marriage, but the bill died in the Republican-run Senate. Gay groups donated heavily to Democratic Senate candidates this year.
Smith, who could not be reached for comment yesterday, has said legalizing gay marriage will not be one of his priorities.