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Just minutes ago, after about 2 hours of testimony from many legislators, the state Senate defeated the marriage equality bill by a 20 to 14 vote.

Sen. Sandra Cunningham, a co-sponsor of the legislation, was the only Jersey City representative who spoke during the floor debate.

“As a descendant of slaves, I understand … what it means to stand up for what we believe in,” she said.

Both Cunningham and Sen. Brian Stack voted for the legislation. As expected, they were not joined by fellow Hudson County Sen. Nick Sacco, who was one of the six Democratic senators to vote against the bill. Three additional Democrats abstained.

Gov. Corzine, who had pledged to sign the bill if it made it to his desk, says in a statement that he is “deeply disappointed” by the vote.

“As was the case when Americans faced legal discrimination on the basis of their race or gender, history will frown on the denial of the basic right of marriage equality,” he says. “I regret that the state’s recognition of equal justice and equal treatment under the law will be delayed. Certainly this process and the resulting debate is historic, but unfortunately, today’s vote was squarely on the wrong side of history.”

Meanwhile, Garden State Equality, which has led the fight for marriage equality in New Jersey, says they are taking the fight back to court.

“We are not waiting out the term of any new administration to bring equality to same-sex couples in our state,” chair Steven Goldstein says in a statement. “In 2006, the New Jersey Supreme Court told the legislature it could enact marriage or another structure that provides the equal protection of marriage. But the civil union law failed to do that.”

Garden State Equality will be joined by the national organization Lambda Legal in the court battle.

“The requirement to ensure equality for same-sex couples, established by the New Jersey Supreme Court in its decision in our marriage lawsuit in 2006, has not been met,” Lambda Legal executive director Kevin Cathcart says. “There is enormous, heartbreaking evidence that civil unions are not equal to marriage, and we will be going back to the courts in New Jersey to fight for equality. Too many families are at risk. We cannot wait any longer.”