LOS ANGELES, CA (Catholic Online) - Prop. 8 was a California ballot measure passed in 2008 that amended the state's constitution to make same-sex marriage illegal, after the California Supreme Court had ruled in 2008 that same-sex couples legally had the right to marry.

"With today's decision on marriage by the Ninth Circuit, and the likely appeal to the Supreme Court, more and more Americans are being exposed to the radical overreach of federal judges and their continued assault on the Judeo-Christian foundations of the United States," Gingrich said in a statement.

"The Constitution of the United States begins with "We the People"; it does not begin with 'We the Judges.' Federal judges need to take heed of that fact. Federal judges are substituting their own political views for the constitutional right of the people to make judgments about the definition of marriage," Gingrich added.

The former House speaker has argued at length that the president should be able to rein in the judicial branch of the government. Gingrich had said in a Tweet that he aims to "restore the proper role of the judicial branch by using the clearly delineated powers available to the president and Congress to correct, limit, or replace judges who violate the Constitution."

Romney likewise released a statement castigating "unelected judges" for ignoring "the will of the people of California."

"Today, unelected judges cast aside the will of the people of California who voted to protect traditional marriage," Romney said in a statement. "This decision does not end this fight, and I expect it to go to the Supreme Court. That prospect underscores the vital importance of this election and the movement to preserve our values."

Romney reiterated his long held belief that "marriage is between a man and a woman" and vowed that "as president, I will protect traditional marriage and appoint judges who interpret the Constitution as it is written and not according to their own politics and prejudices."

In the meantime, the Family Research Council, an  organization that works at "protecting" marriage from being "redefined" to include same-sex partners, called the ruling "disappointing but not surprising."

"Today's decision was disappointing but not surprising, coming from the most liberal Circuit Court in the country," the organization said in a statement. "This Hollywood-funded lawsuit, which seeks to impose San Francisco values on the entire country, may eventually reach the Supreme Court. This is not about constitutional governance but the insistence of a group of activists to force their will on their fellow citizens."

Homosexual and lesbian couples in California will not yet be able to marry legally in the state. The court of appeals left in place a stay from the previous ruling, 18 months ago, which will prevent same-sex marriage from becoming legal in California until the case has made it all the way up the appeals process.

The Supreme Court is expected to take up the case, though the timeline for that process remains unclear.

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