The Washington-based Alliance for Marriage is building a nationwide network of state lawmakers, who would support a Marriage Protection Amendment, reported the Associated Press. The group had spearheaded the push for a federal constitutional amendment.

“We believe the day is coming when the Marriage Protection Amendment will be sent to the states,” said Bob Adams, vice president of the alliance, told the AP. “The time to organize for that is now, not 10 years down the road.”

The group says the November midterm elections resulted in a congressional leadership unsympathetic to their cause, making it difficult to reintroduce the federal amendment in Congress at this time. As a result, they’ve decided to look beyond Washington for supporters.

Adams noted that voters in the states have continued to approve ballot questions opposing same-sex marriage. Arizona was the only state where voters rejected such a measure.

Forty-five states have already passed laws or constitutional amendments prohibiting gay marriage.