Diaz Sr. Prays as Marriage Vote Nears

As signals strengthened late Tuesday afternoon that the New York state senate was close to a vote on the marriage equality bill, Sen. Ruben Diaz Sr., the most vocal opponent of the bill, retired to his office in Albany to pray.

Liz Benjamin of the New York Daily News called his position "the strongest sign yet that the gay marriage bill will indeed come to the senate floor for a vote before the day is over."

Should the bill make it to the floor for a vote late Tuesday night, as some advocates on their way to the state capital strongly suggested to Advocate.com it would, those tuning into the debate can expect an earful from the Pentecostal minister, a Democrat from the Bronx.

"Of course I'm going to vote 'no' -- that's my position. ... I will hold all my comments for the floor if the issue comes to the floor," Diaz Sr. told Benjamin. "'You will hear me say everything I have to say about it. I have a strong feeling that it is [coming to the floor]. I'm in my office. I'm calling around. I'm praying.'"

Stay tuned to Advocate.com for updates on marriage equality in New York.