CONCORD, N.H. (AP) – Gay marriage supporters made a strong showing Wednesday but the outcome is far from certain.

Supporters far outnumbered opponents at a hearing on same sex marriage. Same sex couples, parents of gay and lesbian children and the State Employees Association were among those asking the House Judiciary to endorse the marriage bill; 142 people signed sheets supporting gay marriage, 27 were against.

Even the sponsor of a competing civil unions bill threw his support behind Democratic Rep. Mo Baxley’s bill for marriage equality, asking legislators to choose her proposal over his.

But it is a long way before New Hampshire can add its name to the short list of states giving gays legal unions. The marriage bill must survive a subcommittee review, votes in the House and Senate and faces an uncertain future with Gov. John Lynch, who opposes gay marriage but supports providing health care benefits to state workers’ same sex partners.

Lynch avoided a question Wednesday from a reporter who asked why he opposes gay marriage.

Lynch spokesman Colin Manning said the governor has been talking with legislators about the issue, but gave no specifics.

“The governor opposes gay marriage however he does believe the rights of all New Hampshire families should be protected. He believes the state needs to do a better job of doing that,” Manning said. “It’s very early in the process.”

Meanwhile gay marriage supporters say it is long overdue.

“This legislation once and for all puts an end to the New Hampshire government’s discrimination of its gay and lesbian citizens by denying them access to a marriage license and the protections and societal recognition that brings,” said Baxley, who is executive director of the New Hampshire Freedom to Marry Coalition, a pro-marriage group.

“New Hampshire is about to become the first state in the nation to elect an openly gay man to become chair of a state political party,” said Baxley, referring to former state Rep. Raymond Buckley.

“New Hampshire is the state that consecrated the first openly gay bishop of the Episcopal Church in the world,” she said, referring to Bishop Gene Robinson.

More than 100 people attended the hearing Wednesday in Representatives Hall, many wearing fluorescent stickers reading “Support Marriage. I do.”

Supporters included Sen. Harold Janeway, D-Webster, and his wife, Betsy Janeway, who have a gay son and daughter.

“Let us be the state that leads, not follows,” Betsy Janeway said. “Civil unions are nice and well meant, but they are not marriage.”

Dawn Touzin, a director at Planned Parenthood of Northern New England and chairwoman of the board of Freedom to Marry, said the steps she and her partner have taken to legally secure their relationship still fall short of the benefits marriage provides.

She presented the committee with a petition of 5,000 signatures supporting gay marriage.

“What we are looking for is total equality,” she said.

Anti-gay-marriage activist David Bates, of Windham, wondered whether allowing same sex unions would hurt others’ rights.

“What are you doing to the rights of people who believe homosexuality is morally wrong?” he said. Bates has attended multiple hearings to oppose same sex unions.

“I’m just stepping in because there doesn’t seem to be enough organizational effort,” he said.

This is a rare year in the New Hampshire Legislature – for the first time bills expanding gay rights outnumber those seeking to limit them. Lawmakers are considering bills for civil unions, spousal unions, marriage, same-sex couple adoption and health benefits for state employees. In the Senate, Republican Bob Clegg has introduced a bill giving gays – and other adults who don’t choose to marry – the same legal rights as married couples.

Conservative legislators are trying again this year to win a constitutional ban on gay marriage. The same effort died last year.

Many nearby states grant legal unions to gay couples. Massachusetts allows marriage, Connecticut, Vermont and New Jersey have civil unions. In a nonbinding opinion last month, Rhode Island’s attorney general said the state should recognize gay marriages performed in Massachusetts.

AP-ES-03-14-07 1802EDT