The current impasse on the women's agenda is the result of a last - minute change in strategy by the governor and the coalition just days before the end of session, when it became apparent that Senate Republican Leader Dean Skelos wasn't going to allow the abortion plank onto the floor — and that there weren't 32
declared votes in the chamber to support that section.
This effectively makes Felder the 32nd GOP
vote in the
chamber, assuming Long Island Sen. Carl Marcellino, who currently maintains a roughly 2,500 -
vote lead over his Democratic challenger, James Gaughran, is officially
declared the winner
in that race.