Governor John Hickenlooper announced his support this week for the freedom to marry for gay and lesbian couples:

“If all men and women truly have the inalienable right to pursue happiness, and if all people are created equal, then by extension of law, logic, and love, every adult couple should also have the freedom to join in marriage.”

The declaration comes on the heels of his call to action in the 2012 State of the State address for the Legislature to pass civil unions, which went into effect on January 1, 2013.

Gov. Hickenlooper’s support was echoed by both Senators Mark Udall and Michael Bennet and Congressmembers Jared Polis, Diana DeGette and Ed Perlmutter as part of the launch of “Why Marriage Matters Colorado,” a joint effort by the groups One Colorado, Freedom to Marry, and the ACLU of Colorado to build support for marriage equality in the Centennial State.