The Empire State Pride Agenda today released a new Web video highlighing Queens Assemblyman Mike Gianaris, who is a virtual sure-thing to replace retiring Queens Sen. George Onorato, replacing one of eight Democratic “no” votes on same-sex marriage with a certain “yes.”

So far, two of the eight “no” voters are definitely not returning to the Senate in January – Onorato and expelled ex-Sen. Hiram Monserrate, who was replaced by former Assemblyman Jose Peralta, a “yes” and the other lawmaker appearing in this ESPA video.

A third “no”, Sen. Bill Stachowski, was defeated by a “yes”, Erie County Legislator Tim Kennedy, in the Sept. 14 primary, but he remains on the general election ballot on the Independence and WFP lines. The Republican in that race, Assemblyman Jack Quinn, is, I believe, a “no”.

In this video, Gianaris notes that four of the 30 GOP senators who voted “no” last December aren’t running this fall, so there’s room for the pro-marriage Republicans – assuming there are some of those – to be elected.

Prior to the vote last winter, advocates insisted there were potentially as many as four Republicans willing to vote join the Democrats in voting “yes.” In the end, however, even that wouldn’t have been enough to reach the 32 mark necessary for the bill to pass.

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