MADISON, Wis. (AP) — The Wisconsin State Assembly failed to override Gov. Jim Doyle’s veto of a bill that would define marriage in Wisconsin as solely between one man and one woman.

Lawmakers voted 63-36 to overturn the Democratic governor’s veto, one vote short of the two-thirds majority required. Three lawmakers were absent, so only 64 votes would have been needed to override Doyle.

The governor vetoed the bill, saying state law already clearly prohibits same-sex marriage and the legislation was “mean-spirited.”

“Only Republicans in the Legislature can’t seem to figure out that husband means man and wife means woman,” Doyle spokesman Dan Leistikow said after the vote.

The Assembly approved the bill, 68-29, last month and the Senate passed it, 22-10, last week. Four Assembly Democrats who voted for the bill but voted with the governor were Reps. Gregory Huber, Wausau; Mary Hubler, Rice Lake; Johnnie Morris, Milwaukee, and Terry Van Akkeren, Sheboygan.

The bill’s co-author criticized Doyle for announcing this week he was giving state employee unions the option of expanding health insurance to live-in partners of state government workers, whether the couples are of the same or opposite sex.

Rep. Mark Gundrum (R-New Berlin) said the governor was “obsessed with the gay agenda.”

“It’s Governor Doyle who is working to advance that agenda behind closed doors,” Gundrum said.

State law now defines marriage as a contract between a husband and wife. But supporters have warned activist judges could interpret that language loosely and redefine marriage to allow gay couples to wed. They said the bill would ensure gay marriage would not be allowed or recognized in Wisconsin.

Gundrum said it was important to pass the bill because Doyle could end up appointing justices to the Wisconsin Supreme Court.

“We’ve decided for cynical political purposes to make this an issue,” said Rep. Marlin Schneider (D-Wisconsin Rapids). “We are going to pick on a group of people because we want to defend the institution of marriage by passing a law that doesn’t mean anything.”

The legislation would also require that only marriages between one man and one woman would be recognized as valid under Wisconsin law, regardless of the laws governing marriage in the jurisdiction where the marriage was approved.

The bill has angered gay and lesbian groups, who say state law already makes it clear they cannot marry and the legislation is only meant to antagonize them.

“We think that marriage never needed to ‘defended’ against lesbian and gay people or our relationships or our families,” said Christopher Ott, executive director of the gay rights group Action Wisconsin.

“We think that the Legislature is way behind the public on this issue,” he said.

A Badger Poll of Wisconsin residents released in September found that 60 percent of those surveyed disapproved of any law that would allow members of the same sex to marry, while 32 percent approved. It also found 48 percent approved of civil unions of those of the same sex, while 47 percent disapproved.

Allowing civil unions could give same-sex couples some legal protections of those who are married.

No state currently allows gay marriage, though Vermont allows civil unions between gays and California recently enacted legislation creating new rights for domestic partners. Two Canadian provinces have also legalized gay marriage.

There are also lawsuits seeking to legalize gay marriage pending in Indiana and Massachusetts.