Democratic Governor Andrew Cuomo is endorsing Republican Sen. Stephen Saland, who cast the historic 32nd vote needed a year ago to legalize gay marriage in New York.
The popular governor has long said he would support the Republican senators who voted for legalization. Although most of the Senate's Republican majority opposed it, Saland and three others voted for the measure, risking their careers in what they said were personal votes of conscience.
In September, Saland won a narrow victory in the first Republican primary of his career in the Poughkeepsie-area district.
He still faces Democrat Terry Gibson and Conservative Neil Di Carlo in a difficult race. Di Carlo lost that Republican primary to Saland.
Cuomo says Thursday he's supporting Saland for his courage.
Copyright 2012 by The Associated Press
