ST. PAUL — Supporters of gay marriage in Minnesota are holding a Valentine’s Day rally at the Capitol as they start a push for its legalization by the Legislature.

Organizers of what they’re calling the “Freedom to Marry” rally say they expect 1,500 to 2,000 supporters in the Capitol rotunda Thursday afternoon.

What once seemed like a long shot in Minnesota now looks more possible. Gov. Dayton restated his support for same-sex marriage rights in his State of the State speech, and DFL legislative leaders have been increasingly open to the prospect of taking up the issue later in the current session.

The group behind the rally and the legislative push was born from the campaign that defeated the constitutional gay marriage ban last November. But gay marriage foes say the defeat of the ban doesn’t prove widespread support for legalizing it.