Rick Santorum on Monday met with opponents of gay marriage in Olympia, Washington as Governor Chris Gregoire signed legislation making Washington the seventh state to legalize gay marriage.

Santorum privately met with religious leaders at a noontime meeting held at a church, The Seattle Times reported.

Opponents have said they are moving forward with plans to put the issue up for a vote.

“I encouraged them to continue the fight,” Santorum told the paper. “There are ebbs and flows in every battle, and this is not the final word.”

Santorum, who is considered the GOP presidential field's most vociferous opponent of marriage equality, added that the debate needs to be respectful.

“There are legitimate reasons that people have to want to have to change the law, and there are legitimate reasons that people have to want to keep the law in place,” he said. “If you keep it at that level, don't make it personal, make it about what is best for society, then I think we'll be fine.”

(Related: Rick Santorum tells mother of gay son that he's engaging in unhealthy activity.)