Candidates vying for the Republican presidential nomination continue to buck nationwide trends in support of marriage equality.

As the Supreme Court on Friday declared state gay marriage bans unconstitutional, most candidates denounced the ruling and some pledged to fight on.

Mike Huckabee, the former governor of Arkansas, called the decision illegitimate and “unconstitutional” and promised not to “acquiesce to an imperial court.”

Wisconsin Governor Scott Walker, who is expected to jump into the race, reiterated his support for a constitutional amendment that would reverse the court's ruling. “No one wants to live in a country where the government coerces people to act in opposition to their conscience. We will continue to fight for the freedoms of all Americans,” he said.

South Carolina Senator Lindsey Graham also criticized the ruling but added that an attempt to amend the U.S. Constitution would likely fail. “Rather than pursuing a divisive effort that would be doomed to fail, I am committing myself to ensuing the protection of religious liberties of all Americans,” he said.

Jeb Bush, the former governor of Florida, echoed a similar tone, urging respect for all couples, “including those making lifetime commitments,” and saying it was crucial “to protect religious freedom and the right of conscience and also not discriminate.”

Florida Senator Marco Rubio said that the next president must focus on protecting “the First Amendment rights of religious institutions and millions of Americans whose faiths hold a traditional view of marriage.”

Ben Carson said he “strongly disagreed” with the ruling but added it is “now the law of the land.” “I call on Congress to make sure deeply held religious views are respected and protected,” Carson said. “The government must never force Christians to violate their religious beliefs.”

Louisiana Governor Bobby Jindal, who entered the race this week, strongly denounced the ruling, saying it would “pave the way for an all out assault against the religious freedom rights of Christians who disagree with this decision.”

Appearing on The Sean Hannity Show, Texas Senator Ted Cruz called the ruling “shameless judicial activism.”

(Related: Ted Cruz: Gay marriage ruling has no connection to U.S. Constitution.)

Democratic leaders, including President Barack Obama and presidential hopeful Hillary Rodham Clinton, applauded the court's action.