Garden State Equality, the state’s largest and most active gay and lesbian rights advocacy organization, today plans to formally back Democrat Vin Gopal for state senate in the battleground 11th District.

“We consider Vin Gopal a friend, and we know he will have our back with Phil Murphy in Trenton,” Christian Fuscarino, executive director of Garden State Equality, told InsiderNJ. “We know we will have two allies.”

Gopal is seeking to oust long-serving state Senator Jennifer Beck (R-11) in New Jersey’s most-watched senate election this year.

“It came down to Senator Beck having told us she would support issues and then reversing her decision, and with what is happening federally, we cant have that uncertainty,” Fuscarino said.

He noted a birth certificate bill that Beck sponsored, which she ultimately opposed; and  pointed out that she first opposed the marriage quality bill and then later voted for it, after redistricting rearranged Asbury Park into the 11th District.

“Vin Gopal is someone we can count on, and we know we can take him at his word,” Fuscarino said.

Asbury Park and the surrounding area contains the largest population of LGBT couples in New Jersey.

“I’m hoping everyone will take this seriously and if they do this could have a major impact on this race,” the executive director said of the endorsement. “There are not many districts where we can sway an election, but this is one.”