Legalizing same-sex marriage is the first priority for legislative leaders in Trenton this session, which they made clear by numbering the bill "1" in both the Assembly and the Senate.
A majority of New Jersey residents support gay marriage, but residents are far more concerned about the sluggish economy and unemployment, polls show.
So why is the Democratic-led Legislature pushing the issue now, when Republican Gov. Christie has said he opposes same-sex marriage and could veto the bill?
Some say it's a political ploy to try to trip up Christie while he's basking in the national limelight as a prominent campaigner for presidential candidate Mitt Romney.
Others say Democrats are waving the gay-marriage flag to draw campaign cash and enthuse supporters for 2012.
"There's one reason why they're putting this bill forward: They want to raise money on it," said Brian Brown, president of the National Organization for Marriage, which opposes same-sex marriage and has an office in Princeton. "They want to energize their base. That's why they're doing it."
Leading the debate is Senate President Stephen Sweeney (D., Gloucester), a recent convert to legislative action for same-sex marriage. He says he regrets not supporting the measure when it went before the Senate in 2010. It failed by a vote of 20-14, with five senators, including Sweeney, abstaining.
Sweeney is considering a run for U.S. Senate in 2014, leading some pundits to question whether his change of heart is politically motivated.
But Steven Goldstein, chairman of the gay-rights organization Garden State Equality, takes Sweeney at his word.
"I understand cynicism in politics, but my God, can't anyone do the good and correct thing without being second-guessed?" he said.
Goldstein called Sweeney a civil rights leader and a new friend. He said he would be honored to have Sweeney in his wedding party if the state legalized gay marriage. Sweeney did not immediately respond to the invitation.
New Jersey may simply be following a national trend. Last summer New York became the sixth state to legalize same-sex marriage, and two more states have said they would consider doing so this year.
"I think New Jersey is being shamed by current events," said Hayley Gorenberg, deputy legal director of Lambda Legal, established in 1973 to fight for gay rights.
Pennsylvania does not allow civil unions or gay marriage.
As far as political fund-raising goes, it seems Republicans also can benefit from courting the gay community.
