Hope y’all gay Floridians are ready for a DOMA, because the bible beaters there and Jeb are ready for it. (Orlando Sentinel)

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.