The Democrats drew a clear line Tuesday when they released the Senate version of the marriage equality bill (S1), honoring a promise to make the issue their first priority.

Gov. Chris Christie, in a political counterpunch, stole some of the Democrat's thunder by arguing he believed the issue should be decided by public referendum.

He also reiterated his pledge to veto the Marriage Equality and Religious Exemption Act if it crosses his desk.

Christie's latest action, as well as proposals to cut the income tax and to raise the minimum wage, show that the focus among politicians in Trenton has moved to the 2013 gubernatorial election and either strengthening or weakening Christie as he begins the second half of his term.

“Everyone is now looking ahead to 2013,” said Patrick Murray, director of the Monmouth University Polling Institute. “This really is a game of chicken, where each side is daring the other to take the first step.”

The situation also "allows Democrats to respond to the criticisms that they have received from the party’s base that they have been too cozy with Gov. Christie,” said Ben Dworkin, director of the Rebovich Institute for New Jersey Politics at Rider University.

“This is clearly a civil rights issue for the Democratic party,” he added.

That description comes through in an exchange between Senate President Stephen Sweeney (D- Gloucester) and state Sen. Christopher Bateman (R-Somerset) and a member of the judiciary committee.

During the hearing, shortly after Christie’s comments, Bateman interrupted testimony to announce the governor’s willingness to put the issue on the ballot. He offered to discuss that with Sweeney.

The Senate president quickly dismissed the offer, saying “We vote on issues here. We don’t put civil rights on the ballot.”

Dozens of gay couples, religious representatives, lawyers, and others testified on both sides of the contentious issue. A rally by supporters of same sex marriage drew hundreds prior to the hearing and so many attended that the overflow crowd filled a second committee hearing room in the Statehouse Annex.

Numerous people who entered into civil unions, which passed in December 2006 in response to a state Supreme Court ruling that New Jersey had to stop discriminating against gay couples, said that law is not working and they are still discriminated against, particularly in the area of healthcare. Several representatives of the state bar association and other lawyers agreed.

Richard Steen, the immediate past president of the state bar association, said the civil union law is “inefficient and burdensome” and likely will not stand up to another challenge – Lambda Legal has filed suit against the law – because it does not provide the equal protection required by the constitution.

Others, including New Jersey Family Policy Council president Len Deo, said that there is no proof of the law’s ineffectiveness. Since it was enacted, some 5,400 couples have entered into civil unions and only 13 have filed civil rights complaints as a result of it and 12 of those were dismissed, he said.

“Let the people weigh in on a public policy of this magnitude,” he said.

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