WASHINGTON -- While Beaufort County's congressional representatives generally opposed the concept of gay marriage, with Republicans favoring a constitutional ban, one Democrat called President Bush's endorsement of the proposed constitutional amendment an "election-year gimmick."

"The traditional institution of marriage is now under attack," said Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., in supporting the proposed amendment Tuesday shortly after Bush announced his endorsement of a proposal to amend the Constitution to prohibit same-sex marriages.

Graham said opponents of traditional marriage could argue that a same-sex marriage allowed in Massachusetts must be recognized in South Carolina and other states.

"If we don't act, it's only a matter of time until marriage as we have known it will be redefined by judges," he said in a statement.

Rep. Joe Wilson, R-S.C., whose district includes Beaufort County, co-sponsored the bill calling for a constitutional amendment.

"America must keep its moral compass, and we cannot allow a few activist judges and officials to subvert the will of the overwhelming majority," Wilson said in a statement.

Sen. Fritz Hollings, D-S.C., who favors civil unions but is against gay marriage, hadn't seen the proposal, said press secretary Andy Davis.

"Depending on what is proposed, a constitutional amendment may or not be the right remedy," Davis said.

Although Rep. Jim Clyburn, D-S.C., agreed that marriage should be between a man and a woman, he said changing the Constitution is not the answer to preventing same-sex unions.

He called Bush's endorsement an "election-year gimmick."

"I do not believe that our constitution ought to be tampered with every time there is a social problem, especially as a tool during election cycles," said Clyburn, whose district includes a sliver of Beaufort County.

The American Civil Liberties Union expressed outrage at Bush's announcement. Denyse Williams, executive director of the South Carolina chapter, said the group plans to fight the amendment proposal.

"It would be narrowing the Constitution to discriminate," Williams said.

There have been many proposals on both sides of the issue since a Massachusetts court decision earlier this month affirming the legality of same-sex marriages. More than 30 states, including South Carolina, have laws against same-sex marriages.

Two proposals under consideration in the South Carolina state legislature would expand the state's current prohibitions by refusing to recognize such marriages sanctioned in other states and by denying state benefits to same-sex partners. The legislation could be put on the House floor next week, said state Rep. Jeff Duncan, a Republican who represents Laurens and Newberry counties.

Bush said a constitutional prohibition against same-sex marriages is needed because gays could circumvent existing laws. Bush had repeatedly expressed his support for the federal Defense of Marriage Act, which says marriage is between a man and a woman, but allows states to set their own policies.

The president's endorsement could help him politically, said Matt Smyth of the Center for Politics at the University of Virginia. Smyth said Bush is aware of how difficult it would be to get an amendment passed.

"Saying that you want to change that gets across to people this is something I really believe in," Smyth said.

To become part of the Constitution, an amendment must win a two-thirds vote in each chamber of Congress and be ratified by 38 states.

Eldon Wedlock, a constitutional professor at the University of South Carolina at Columbia, said amending the constitution is intentionally hard.

"The reason is you don't want the constitution cluttered with every passing political whim," he said.

He said the proposed amendment would break new ground because nothing in the Constitution defines personal relationships.

"The only (defined) relationships are relationships among governments and relationships between individuals and government," he said.