SAN FRANCISCO (AP) – Breaking weeks of silence on the same-sex marriage spree that consumed her hometown of San Francisco for nearly a month, House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi said she believes gay and lesbian couples can marry and that she approved of Mayor Gavin Newsom’s decision to grant same-sex marriage licenses.

In a televised interview on Fox News, Pelosi, who has strongly opposed a constitutional amendment banning same-sex marriage while steering clear of endorsing Newsom’s action, was pressed by host Neil Cavuto to clarify her position.

“Can same sex couples marry?” Cavuto asked.

“Yes,” Pelosi responded.

“So what the mayor of San Francisco is doing, you would approve of it?” Cavuto asked.

“Yes,” Pelosi said.

The same-sex marriage question has posed a vexing political dilemma for Pelosi since mid-February, when Newsom decided to buck state law and allow gays and lesbians to wed. While considered a strong advocate of gay rights, Pelosi in numerous interviews has refused to publicly support same-sex marriage until now.

At a press conference in Washington on Feb. 26, for example, Pelosi focused on the legal questions surrounding same-sex marriage when asked whether she supported Newsom’s action.

“Within the state, Mayor Newsom has gone down a path which will be reviewed in court, and that decision will be by the court as to what equity will prevail in the state Constitution,” Pelosi said.

About 4,000 gay and lesbian couples tied the knot in San Francisco between Feb. 12 and March 11, when the California Supreme Court halted the marriages pending a decision later in the spring on whether Newsom had the authority to allow them.

Aides said that while Pelosi does support the rights of gay and lesbian couples to marry, they feared her full endorsement of such unions could endanger Democratic Congressional candidates in districts where opposition to same-sex marriage runs high. As House Minority leader, Pelosi campaigns across the country for Democratic candidates and is a highly visible spokeswoman for the party.

Gay rights leaders praised Pelosi’s comments, saying they reflected the views of her San Francisco constituents – a majority of whom support same-sex marriage, polls show.

“She represents the people who elected her and they expect and appreciate her leadership on this issue,” said Geoff Cors of Equality California, a gay rights group. “The argument that this hurts other candidates... is not valid. Polls have moved dramatically on this issue.”

But Winnie Stachelberg, political director of the Human Rights Campaign, said that blocking the proposed constitutional amendment banning same-sex marriage remained the top goal for activists, rather than persuading elected officials to endorse legalizing such unions.

There are plenty of people who do not support gay marriage but oppose amending the constitution – you can actually hold both positions,” Stachelberg said. “I agree with that priority, which is also the priority of Congresswoman Pelosi and other Democratic leaders.”