As New York state barreled toward its presidential primary Feb 5, U.S. Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton enjoyed endorsements from all four of the Democratic LGBT political clubs in New York City that registered a preference on the matter.
The citywide Stonewall Democrats club endorsed Clinton as early as November, followed by the Lesbian and Gay Democratic Club of Queens. In Brooklyn, the Lambda Independent Democrats announced their support for the junior senator in January, echoing the decision of the Gay and Lesbian Independent Democrats in Manhattan.
Support for Clinton reflects a win-win strategy on behalf of the membership clubs, which screen candidates for elected office and play an important if little understood role in local politics. Should Clinton be elected president in November, Governor Eliot Spitzer would appoint a successor to fill her Senate seat for two years. If she does not win, she will remain a powerful figure on the New York political scene.