WASHINGTON (AP) - Long-shot Senate candidate Charlie Crystle, embracing a politically risky stand in Pennsylvania, said he supports legalizing gay marriage and called on his opponents to follow suit.

None of the other three mainstream candidates in the race support extending marriage rights to same-sex couples.

“It is time we stand by the principles of economic, social and civil justice, and support same-sex marriage,” said Crystle, a Democratic political novice and computer software developer from Lancaster.

“Anything short of this simply reinforces the perception that the Democratic Party has lost its way and no longer represents people or operates from a base of principles.... I urge the Democratic Party to find its backbone, stand up for justice and fight for same-sex marriage. It’s the right thing to do,” Crystle said.

Crystle’s stand could help him with liberal voters in the Democratic primary against party favorite Rep. Joe Hoeffel (D-Pa.), but even Crystle acknowledged that the issue — what he called “a bold position in a conservative state” — is not likely to endear him to many Pennsylvanians.

A Quinnipiac University poll earlier this year found that 58 percent of the state’s registered voters believe gay and lesbian behavior is morally wrong, compared to 27 percent who said it is acceptable. The poll also indicated that 45 percent of Pennsylvania voters believe gay and lesbian relations between consenting adults should be legal, compared to 35 percent who believe it should be illegal. Nineteen percent were undecided.

Both Republicans in the race, incumbent Sen. Arlen Specter and conservative challenger Rep. Pat Toomey, have voted against same-sex marriages. Though Hoeffel also would deny the “status” of marriage to gays, he does support civil unions and other spousal rights, like shared health benefits, for same-sex couples.

“The institution of marriage has such religious connotations for all religions and most Americans, and I don’t think that Congress should impose the issue of gay rights onto the issue of marriage,” Hoeffel said. “There should be some separation of church and state here. But I do believe in equal rights for gays.”