Michael Long, chairman of the New York state Conservative Party states, "The gay marriage issue draws a line down the middle of the street, and Rudy Giuliani is something of a champion of gay rights."[11] During his mayorality, gays and lesbians in New York asked for domestic-partnership rights. Giuliani in turn pushed the city's Democratic-controlled City Council, which had avoided the issue for years, to then pass legislation providing broad protection for same-sex partners.[12] In 1998, he codified local law by granting all city employees equal benefits for their domestic partners.[13] Giuliani also allowed gays and lesbians to serve openly in his administration.[14] When Guliani divorced from his wife in 2000, he moved temporarily into the apartment of a wealthy gay couple.[15] "You can't get much more to the left than Giuliani was on gay issues," says Joseph Mercurio, a bipartisan political consultant.[16] Giuliani doesnt usually try to hide his sympathies, but during his aborted run for office in the U.S. Senate in 2000, Guliniani did declare: "The institution of marriage should remain defined as a man and a woman". However, he is an open supporter for more gay and lesbian rights. According to 365 Gay News, 'America's most-read gay news': "Giuliani said that broad-brush themes, like limited government, ought to define the Republican Party - not hot-button social issues like abortion and gay rights."[6] Guliani stated to NBCs Meet the Press, that he would oppose the federal ban on gay marriage, and other republican candidates claim that he is even "pro-gay marriage".