SPRINGFIELD – Hopes that Illinois could quickly become the 10th state in the nation to legalize gay marriage bogged down Thursday when the bill's Democratic supporters backed off plans to hold a full Senate vote on it and went home after cancelling a session scheduled for today.

Same-sex marriage advocates entered the lame-duck session Wednesday with high expectations of passing a bill by the assembly's Jan. 9 curtain. Backers were riding a wave of momentum from successes during the November elections as well as public encouragement from President Barack Obama.

After two days of encountering snags in trying to move the measure, Sen. Heather Steans finally won approval in a Senate committee Thursday evening with an 8-5 vote, which was met with cheers by gay marriage supporters.