Steven Goldstein

Garden State Equality Chair Steven Goldstein is a Clinton delegate from New JerseyDENVER -- With a captive audience, leadership of the LGBT advocacy organization Garden State Equality made a push this morning for legislation that would legalize gay marriage in New Jersey.

The group even opened the floor to ask for new legislative co-sponsors to the current bill. Assembly members Gordon Johnson, Joan Quigley, Pamela Lampitt and Nellie Pou all signed on, as did State Sen. Sandra B. Cunningham.

Chair Steven Goldstein lead the group’s efforts, detailing a recent poll that the group conducted on the issue and several state races and drawing their attention to Speaker Joseph Roberts’s support of gay marriage. But Goldstein made his most powerful appeal by telling a personal story.

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Former President Jimmy Carter at the Democratic National Convention in Denver this evening: Getty Images Photo
When former president Jimmy Carter took the stage for a brief appearance at the Democratic National Convention, most delegates leapt to their feet and cheered.

Noticeably silent and still were a few Jewish delegates from New Jersey, who stayed in their seats.

Although at least two of them have a reputation as being quite liberal, they had a problem with Carter’s views on Israel, and most notably the book he penned on the subject: Palestine Peace Not Apartheid.

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The selection of Sam Nunn as a vice presidential candidate could cost Barack Obama the support of gay voters: Getty Images Photo
The leader of the state’s largest gay rights organization and a Clinton delegate to next week’s Democratic National Convention says that the nomination of former U.S. Sen. Sam Nunn (D-Ga.) for Vice President would stop him from voting for Barack Obama.

“If Barack Obama were to choose Sam Nunn as his running mate, the highest placed office on the ballot for which I would cast a vote would be U.S. Senate,” said Garden State Equality Chairman Steven Goldstein, who will attend the Democratic National Convention in Denver next week.

Nunn’s name has been floated as a potential running mate for Democratic candidates during most elections over the last two decades, and while this year is no exception, he’s not considered a likely pick. Still, some Democrats see the “moderate-to-conservative” Nunn, who left office in 1997, as a way to appeal to groups that traditionally vote Republican.

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On the heels of a poll commissioned by a LGBT rights organization that said the majority of New Jersey voters favor allowing gay marriage, Assemblyman Michael Doherty (R-Washington Township) pushed for his own legislation that would call for an amendment to the state constitution that would allow New Jerseyans to vote on the issue.

“The people of New Jersey should have the final say on this fundamental issue and it’s time to allow their voices to be heard so that we can put this diversion behind us and move forward on real issues that are affecting our residents,” said Doherty in a press release.

Meanwhile, Steven Goldstein – chair of Garden State Equality, which paid for the Zogby poll – took the opportunity to invite Doherty to his own wedding next year.

“He’s entitled to his view and I look forward to welcoming him to my wedding in New Jersey in 2009,” said Goldstein. “Honestly, if he’d like to be in the wedding party, he’s more than welcome. I’ll personally buy him any tuxedo of his choosing.”

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New Jersey’s main gay-rights organization today endorsed incumbent Frank Lautenberg over Rep. Rob Andrews in the Democratic Senate primary.

The group’s chairman, Steven Goldstein, said that both were “outstanding” candidates, but that they would stick with the tried-and-true Lautenberg, who has been “our greatest champion of equality.”

Goldstein cited Lautenberg’s coauthoring of the Ryan White AIDS Care Act in 1990, and his fight for increased federal funding for HIV and AIDS treatment since then.

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Garden State Equality Chairman Steven Goldstein, the leader of the state's largest marriage equality advocacy group, today welcomed the presence in New Jersey of a group opposed to gay civil unions.

"If this group is going to spend time and money in New Jersey, arguably the country's bluest state, let them," said Goldstein, of Common Sense America, which is headed up by Brian Brown, the former executive director of the Family Institute of Connecticut. more >

The majority of New Jersey voters say that they would not be upset if the state legalized gay marriage, according to a Zogby Poll commissioned by Garden State Equality, a gay advocacy group.

63% of those polled said that they would have no problem if “public officials in New Jersey come to the conclusion that civil unions for gay couples have not worked to provide equality under the law” and granted gay couples the right to marry.

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State Sen. Loretta Weinberg may have put aside hostilities with Bergen County Democratic Chairman Joe Ferriero back in April, but she’s not going to let up on criticizing him.

“He’s been a very prolific fundraiser. He has worked hard to get Democrats elected, and I give him a lot of credit for that,” said Weinberg. “But I would like the organization to be about something more than fundraising and who gets what contract.”

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The leader of New Jersey's largest gay rights organization has endorsed Hillary Clinton for the Democratic presidential nomination. Steven Goldstein, the Chairman of Garden State Equality, said that Clinton is his personal choice, and that his organization will not make an endorsement before the February 5, 2008 New Jersey primary.

"I wish all the presidential candidates with a realistic shot to win the nomination were pro-marriage equality. None are. Within that context, Senator Clinton's support for the LGBTI community is as strong as any of the other candidates who have the most realistic shot to win," said Goldstein, who managed Jon Corzine's 2000 U.S. Senate campaign.

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Sure, Hillary has a huge advantage in New Jersey, and she already has the backing of the state’s two most powerful elected leaders. But nothing’s certain, and if any other candidates hope to pull an upset, they’ll likely need the backing of these important Democrats who have not yet picked a horse.

This early in the race, the most important endorsements will come from political figures who can create buzz and raise money, according to Ingrid Reed Director of the New Jersey Project at the Eagleton Institute of Politics. Closer to February, politicians with more grass roots support will have a greater impact.

“The purpose of these early endorsements… basically is to boost the person’s candidacy among leadership,” said Reed. “Because they’re the people who are paying attention.”

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