HARTFORD, Conn. (AP) – The state’s leading advocacy group for gays and lesbians is backing Democratic gubernatorial candidate John DeStefano even though Republican Gov. M. Jodi Rell signed last year’s historic civil union bill into law.

Love Makes a Family’s political action committee voted unanimously to back DeStefano, the mayor of New Haven, because he supports same-sex marriage in Connecticut, the group announced Sept. 27.

Rell has said she supports marriage only between a man and a woman.

Anne Stanback, president of Love Makes a Family, said Connecticut’s civil union law, the first enacted by a state legislature without court pressure, gave gay and lesbian couples important rights and protections.

But she said Love Makes a Family’s mission has always been marriage equality, and the group believes DeStefano will advocate for that if he wins in November.

“I think everyone understands there is still one step left to go. I think he’ll push for it. I think he’ll work for it,” Stanback said, referring to DeStefano. “[Rell] was very clear that she supported civil union, but supported marriage between a man and woman.”

Rich Harris, Rell’s campaign spokesperson, said the campaign expected that DeStefano would receive the Love Makes a Family endorsement. The group sent Rell a questionnaire asking if she supports same-sex marriage.

But Harris said the governor is always willing to listen to the advocates.

“Even though the governor does not agree with them on the marriage issue, the lines of communication certainly remain open,” he said.

Besides marriage, the questionnaire also asked the candidates whether they support a state constitutional amendment banning marriage between same-sex couples – a proposal advocated by the conservative Family Institute of Connecticut.

Both Rell and DeStefano said no. Rell, however, supported an amendment to the 2005 civil union bill that defined marriage in Connecticut as between a man and a woman.

DeStefano is the first gubernatorial candidate endorsed by Love Makes a Family since the 1,400-member organization started its PAC in 2002. The PAC has not yet decided how much money it will contribute to DeStefano’s campaign.

Stanback credited DeStefano with fighting for equality for GLBT individuals as mayor. For example, she said, DeStefano found space for a gay and lesbian community center in New Haven and has appointed openly gay people to high positions within his administration.

“I am honored to be the first gubernatorial candidate ever endorsed by Love Makes a Family,” DeStefano said. “I believe that all Americans deserve equal rights and the politics of division practiced by the national Republican Party is destructive to our democracy and is, frankly, un-American. We need a governor who is going to stand up to President Bush and his agenda, not support him.”

DeStefano criticized Rell for supporting Republican candidates for the state legislature who are backed by the Family Institute of Connecticut.

Connecticut and Vermont are the only two states with civil union laws on the books. Other states grant various rights and privileges to same-sex couples. Under Connecticut’s law, gay and lesbian couples receive all the same state rights and privileges as married couples, but can’t marry. Massachusetts is the only state where same-sex marriage is recognized.

Even though Rell didn’t receive the Love Makes a Family endorsement, Harris said he expects she’ll receive support on Election Day because she signed the civil union bill into law. Rell was recently honored by the Log Cabin Republicans for her efforts.

“That’s probably the issue she gets more comments from the public on,” he said. “She says almost not a day goes by without someone thanking her for signing that bill.”