Bloomberg Aide Will Woo Gay Voters

Mayor Bloomberg is coming out big for the gay vote — hiring a homosexual former Democratic candidate who made waves by featuring his boyfriend in a campaign ad, The Post has learned.
Failed Manhattan borough president hopeful Brian Ellner signed on last week with Bloomberg's campaign to handle outreach to gay and lesbian voters, sources said.
Ellner's recruitment is part of the Republican mayor's plan to snag a significant portion of the gay vote, even though Democratic rival Fernando Ferrer has already lined up endorsements from numerous gay groups.
Last month, Ellner, who is openly gay, aired an unusual TV spot during the borough president's primary contest, which was ultimately won by Assemblyman Scott Stringer, that was the talk of the city political world.
"I'm Brian Ellner and this is my partner, Simon," Ellner says as the commercial ends and the two men face the camera arm in arm.
That was believed to be a first in the city for a candidate.
While Ellner, 35, insisted that "no decision has been made" about his hiring, sources told The Post it will be announced by the Bloomberg campaign in a matter of days.
Gays could make up as much as 10 percent of the vote.
Meanwhile, both Bloomberg and Ferrer have been stepping up their appearances before gay groups.
The mayor attended a dinner for Parents and Friends of Lesbian & Gays last night, while Ferrer held a gay fund-raiser at a Chelsea club.
"If you're lesbian or gay, you have to be out of your mind to support Mike Bloomberg for mayor," said Ferrer backer Christopher Lynn, a former commissioner under Mayor Giuliani.
"I appreciate the fact that he's elegant and he's polite and has very good manners all things that gay men like but when they read that he gave over $200,000 to Tom DeLay to help elect Republicans, that's an affront," Lynn added.
Scott Widmeyer, a communications executive who organized last night's Ferrer fund-raiser, said: "Freddy will stand out for being in support of allowing same sex couples to marry. Mike is appealing [that ruling] in court. That's not where Freddy is at."
Well-known Democratic fund-raiser Andrew Tobias is one of several influential gays who has been raising money for Ferrer.
"I don't like the fact that he's given more money — up and down the Republican ticket — because Republicans are by and large against [homosexual] folks," Tobias said.
But some prominent gay business leaders are firmly in Bloomberg's camp.
"New York needs someone strong, tough and decisive," said businessman David Tufts. "I think he saved the city after 9/11 . . . He cares about New York and the people and he's a tireless extraordinary worker."
from New York Post