The National Organization for Marriage
(NOM) on Wednesday cheered New Jersey Governor Chris Christie's
decision to veto a proposed gay marriage bill.
The bill got a boost on Tuesday as it
cleared the Senate Judiciary Committee with an 8 to 4 vote.
But Christie dampened the mood for
supporters when he called on lawmakers to put the question before
voters and vowed to veto the measure if it reached his desk.
“Let the people of New Jersey decide
what is right for the state,” he said.
“NOM supports the right of New Jersey
voters to decide this issue by voting on a constitutional amendment
defining marriage as the union of one man and one woman just as
voters in 30 other states have been able to do,” NOM President
Brian Brown said in a statement. “We commend Governor Christie for
his principled stance and commitment to veto same-sex marriage
legislation pending in the Legislature should it reach his desk.”
“We believe that marriage, the
foundational institution of society, should not be discarded under
any circumstance,” Brown added.
(Related: NOM
pledges $500,000 to derail gay marriage in New Jersey.)