Current Democratic New Jersey Governor, Jon Corzine, may be the last link that supporters of same-sex marriage will have in New Jersey for at least the next four years.

After promising to sign a bill to legalize same-sex marriage during his tenure, even were he to lose the gubernatorial election this month – which he did – Corzine’s successor, Republican Chris Christie, has already promised to veto any gay marriage bill that would come to his office.

Corzine’s last day in office is January 19th, 2010. Do the math – New Jersey’s gay marriage hopes are shrinking by the day.

The New York Times is reporting that due to Christie’s impending reign, some democrats are softening a once strong bid on the issue of legalizing gay marriage in the state.

Just weeks ago, Democrats, who control both houses of the Legislature, spoke confidently about their intention to pass a marriage-equality bill after the election and send it to Gov. Jon S. Corzine, a fellow Democrat who had promised to sign it even if he was not re-elected.

But when lawmakers returned to Trenton on Monday for the first time since Mr. Corzine was defeated by Christopher J. Christie, a Republican who opposes gay marriage, a few Democratic legislators appeared to be wavering in their support, setting off an emotional blitz of lobbying and backroom bargaining.

Any vote would need to now be fast-tracked, and lawmakers and gay rights advocates alike have agreed they feel they can get a measure through the General Assembly.

However, under the watchful wing of Big Brother Manhattan, New Jersey Democrats have decided to (what else?) postpone a vote (as discussed yesterday right here) “because they appeared unable to muster the 21 votes needed to pass it.”

Some Democratic legislative leaders — including the majority leader, Stephen M. Sweeney, who will become Senate president in January — have said that they view Governor Corzine’s loss as a gauge of the public’s unease with the troubled economy, and fear that voters might resent elected officials who appear distracted by social issues. He said he did not think this was the right time to enact the bill.

Other Democrats worried that if they passed a same-sex-marriage bill while Mr. Corzine was on his way out of office, they might anger voters, energize Mr. Christie’s conservative base and alienate socially traditional Democrats.

Gay rights activists have responded by “mobilizing about 250 people at the State House, where they handed out leaflets, buttonholed legislators and met on the steps for a rally” on Monday. Other gay rights groups have announced that they would release two new radio ads highlighting the stories of gay couples who have been denied health care coverage and other legal and social benefits granted to married couples.