Illinois Rep. Judy Biggert on Wednesday compared gay marriage to plural relationships.

The 75-year-old Biggert was asked to expand on her response on the issue during a debate against her Democratic challenger, Bill Foster, a former congressman from Illinois.

“The gay marriage issue that came up,” a reporter asked. “You said that you're close but you're ...”

“Well, I think that, I think that the country is close to this,” Biggert interrupted. “But it is a state issue. We don't have polygamy and bigamy and all these things in the federal government. It's the states that take care of that.”

“But yet you're not supporting gay marriage?”

“I said I'm close.”

“Well that's not supporting it though,” the reporter noted.

“No, it's not,” Biggert replied. “I'm for civil unions and I'm looking at the prospect of what's going to happen.” (The video is embedded on this page. Visit our video library for more videos.)

Biggert is among a handful of congressional Republicans who appear to be on the verge of endorsing marriage equality. Other Representatives include Mary Bono Mack of California and Richard Hanna of New York.

Illinois approved civil unions last year and could consider legalizing marriage equality as early as December during a lame duck session.