And gay activists are so disappointed with Democratic politicians' response to the ruling that they are talking of mounting an effort to shift their votes to the Republican Party primary.

"The feeling is, if they [Democrats] treat us this way now, they aren't going to do anything different when they are in power," said Chuck Bowen, the executive director of Georgia Equality, a statewide gay rights organization. "We won't have a seat at the table."

On Friday, the group urged the gay community to reconsider its support of both Cox and her Democratic rival for governor, Lt. Gov. Mark Taylor.
