Schneiderman Wins Pride Agenda AG Nod

New York state senator Eric Schneiderman, a Democratic candidate for attorney general, announced Thursday that his campaign won the endorsement of the statewide LGBT rights group, the Empire State Pride Agenda.

The coveted endorsement is the first statewide endorsement of this election season from the Pride Agenda, which thus far has weighed in on races including some pivotal battles in the state senate, where the marriage equality bill failed by a wide margin last year.

Pride Agenda executive director Ross Levi hailed Schneiderman in a statement released by the campaign.

"Eric Schneiderman has been a tireless advocate for the rights of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) New Yorkers and our families," he said. "During his tenure in the State Senate, he has always been there for us, going above and beyond just voting for our rights, whether advocating for us in his district, marshalling pro-LGBT votes or leading floor debates on marriage equality."

The endorsement adds to Schneiderman's substantial support from LGBT political clubs and elected officials. His backers include Marriage Equality New York, the Stonewall Democrats of New York City, Gay and Lesbian Independent Democrats , Lesbian and Gay Democratic Club of Queens, the Lambda Independent Democrats of Brooklyn, and out New York City council Speaker Christine Quinn and council members Rosie Mendez, Jimmy Van Bramer, and Danny Dromm.

Challengers for the Democratic attorney general nomination, all of whom bring strong equality platforms, include state assembly member Richard Brodsky, former state insurance superintendent Eric Dinallo, former federal prosecutor Sean Coffey, and Nassau County district attorney Kathleen Rice, who leads in polling. But with just under one month to go before the primary election, the Democratic nomination contest remains among the state's most heated.

Staten Island district attorney Dan Donovan is the Republican nominee for attorney general.