TALLAHASSEE -- Republican Gov. Jeb Bush weighed in on the explosive issue of same sex marriage Tuesday, saying he might support a state constitutional amendment banning gay marriage if the courts open the door to such unions in Florida.

It was his strongest statement yet on the issue and came the same day that the Florida Baptist State Convention in Jacksonville unanimously agreed to seek a constitutional amendment that defines marriage as the union of a man and a woman.

Bush said he thinks the state's Defense of Marriage Act prohibits gay marriages, but he might back putting a constitutional question on the ballot if court rulings force the issue.

"If there was a threat that gay marriage would be accepted in our state, then I might be supportive of it," Bush said. "I'm not sure it's necessary to do this in a pre-emptive fashion."

Bush said he thinks the Legislature would enthusiastically back a constitutional move to ban same-sex marriages if conditions change.

Gay groups and some liberal state lawmakers pounced on the governor's comment, saying it could signal a political move to push for a constitutional amendment banning same-sex marriage such as those passed last week in 11 states.

"We're talking about civil marriage, and the government has no place in that," said Brian Winfield, a spokesman for Tampa-based Equality Florida, the state's largest gay and lesbian advocacy group.

But some religious leaders hailed Bush's words, saying they strongly back a constitutional amendment because it would support traditional views of matrimony.

"For thousands of years, marriage has been between a man and a woman," said the Rev. Jerry Walsh of Seminole Community Church in Sanford. "It concerns me that the courts can redefine what American and human culture have accepted as the norm."

Florida made history as the first state in the nation to ban gay marriages in the 1970s amid a controversial campaign by singer Anita Bryant. But it does not have a constitutional ban such as those adopted in 11 states on Election Day. Legal challenges already have been filed against such bans in several states.

Gov. Bush's comments don't go nearly as far as his brother, President Bush, who has called for an amendment to the U.S. Constitution banning same-sex marriage.

Nevertheless, State Rep. Ron Greenstein, D-Coconut Creek, called the governor's support for a constitutional amendment blatantly political.

"The statutes are very clear that they ban gay marriage in Florida," Greenstein said. "But I think the Republicans are really looking at it. They want to drive a final stake in the hearts of Democrats."

Greenstein said he had already heard rumors that Republican state lawmakers would push to put a constitutional amendment banning gay marriage on the ballot in 2006 to damage Democratic candidates and energize the conservative Christian Republican base that has backed Gov. Bush and his brother.

State Sen. Ron Klein, D-Delray Beach, the outgoing Senate Democratic leader, was not so sure.

"Maybe he's signaling to the Legislature, 'Don't do it right now,' " Klein said, noting a number of other states have quickly passed such amendments.

Klein also questioned whether Gov. Bush was trying to energize the Republican base.

"I don't think his base needs energizing. His base knows where he stands on this stuff," Klein said.

Equality Florida's Winfield said it's curious that Gov. Bush is taking a more restrained position than the president.

"He [President Bush] has led the charge on amending the U.S. Constitution to discriminate against gay couples, so they seem to be taking opposite approaches," Winfield said.

Some Florida religious leaders argue that putting a proposed ban on same-sex marriage on the ballot simply lets voters decide.

"If there was an amendment that went out for a vote, it would be up to the people of Florida. That's the way our government works, " said the Rev. Rol Erickson, minister of pastoral care, Northland, a Church Distributed, in Longwood. Erickson said he would personally support such an amendment.

"Marriage is an institution ordained by God that was designed for a man and a woman," he said.

But Winfield argued that legal definitions of marriage have been evolving for generations and will continue to do so.

"Marriage is not a stagnant institution," he said. "Forty years ago, marriage was between a man and a woman of the same race, and that was the law."

Mark Pinsky of the Sentinel staff contributed to this report. Bob Mahlburg can be reached at bmahlburg@orlandosentinel.com or 850-222-5564.