By Patrick Hedlund
DNAinfo News Editor
MANHATTAN — While Lady Gaga has already garnered millions of devotees worldwide, the reigning pop queen has begun growing her fan base in one unlikely place — the state capitol.
Lawmakers and lobbyists have lauded the Grammy Award-winning singer's recent efforts to pass same-sex marriage in the state, crediting the Upper West Side native for using her celebrity to localize the issue in New York.
"She's just been terrific," said openly gay Assemblywoman Deborah Glick, whose district covers much of Manhattan below 14th Street. "She has been vocal and articulate, and not all celebrities who speak out are articulate."
Part of the reason for Glick's shout-out to the "Born This Way" songstress stems from the performer's tweet earlier this month urging her nearly 9 million followers to email a Republican state senator asking him to support same-sex marriage in New York.
"I do think that she has very specifically determined that this is an issue that she will pursue," said Glick, who also included a note in her otherwise run-of-the-mill March community report commending Gaga for her decision not to allow Target to sell her new album because of the company's donations to anti-gay groups.
"I felt she brought attention to an issue in a way that was appreciated."
Ron Zacchi, executive director of Marriage Equality New York, noted that Gaga's appeal to a younger audience could help convince them to become more active in advocating for marriage rights.
"She absolutely can have a dramatic impact, because one of the problems in our movement is the base of our supporters are younger and are less inclined to be political," said Zacchi, whose organization has been one of leading lobbyists for same-sex marriage in New York.
"Her hitting that base and galvanizing it is so crucial."
