As they honored state Senator Dennis Damon Saturday night, gay rights advocates in Maine vowed to win back gay marriage, local ABC affiliate News 8 reported.

At its annual dinner in Portland, the group responsible for the first gay marriage law to be approved by state lawmakers and signed into law said it would continue the fight. Maine voters “vetoed” the law in November before it went into effect.

“Today I feel really hopeful,” Betsy Smith, executive director of EqualityMaine, said. “I feel like we came a long way and we don't have that far to go until Mainers support equality for all Maine families.”

The group's two track effort to win back gay marriage includes supporting the campaigns of lawmakers who voted in favor of the bill and strengthening public opinion on the issue.

State Senator Dennis Damon was honored at the fundraiser that took place at the Holiday Inn by The Bay. Damon, a Democrat from Trenton, sponsored last year's gay marriage bill and advocated for its passage.

EqualityMaine, the state's largest gay rights advocate, was founded in 1984.