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The issue of gay marriage continued its seemingly inexorable spread beyond San Francisco on Wednesday, with ceremonies in Portland, Ore., the possibility of new benefits in San Jose and a more powerful presence in the race for the White House.

Portland's move to become the second U.S. metropolis to perform same-sex marriages spurred hundreds of gay couples to line up in the pouring rain in a scene reminiscent of the historic ceremonies in San Francisco last month.

San Jose, meanwhile, is bidding to become the first large city to recognize same-sex marriages performed elsewhere. City leaders will consider next week whether to recognize the unions for the purpose of expanding city-worker benefits.

And, all but ensuring gay marriage will become a pivotal issue in the presidential race, it was reported that Democratic presidential front-runner John Kerry told a few gay supporters in San Francisco on Friday he would give state-sanctioned gay couples the federal benefits that married heterosexual couples now receive.

The actions around the country Wednesday demonstrated anew that this formerly fringe issue has moved into the U.S. political mainstream, even as the California Supreme Court prepares to receive arguments later this week about whether San Francisco's actions are legal.

As supporters cheered, conservatives sought to use the developments to fuel the push for a U.S. constitutional amendment to ban same-sex unions.

GOP Majority Leader Bill Frist said same-sex marriage ``is likely to spread through all 50 states in the coming years'' without quick action toward an amendment.

While San Jose is considering expanding city benefits only for gay employees who marry in San Francisco, a council approval would be a key symbolic endorsement as San Francisco battles in court against California's attorney general and private conservative plaintiffs to keep issuing same-sex licenses. San Jose has no ability to issue marriage licenses.

``It's important that San Jose take a public stand on this,'' said Councilman Ken Yeager, the first openly gay person elected to public office in Santa Clara County, who received support for his proposal from Mayor Ron Gonzales. ``It adds our voice to other governmental agencies that are supporting what San Francisco has done. As this issue is argued in court, I hope people will point to San Jose as one of the jurisdictions that say these marriages should be valid.''

Wednesday morning, Multnomah County, which includes Portland and its suburbs, began issuing same-sex marriage licenses after four of the five county commissioners decided nothing in Oregon law prevents gay people from marrying.

Several hundred couples lined up around the Multnomah County office building, jubilantly cheering in the rain as same-sex couples exited with marriage certificates. Some had been in line since the night before, after television news reported the county would begin issuing the certificates.

By 5 p.m. Wednesday, 353 licenses had been handed out to same-sex couples. In San Francisco, about 3,500 licenses have been issued since Feb. 12. Although conservative groups immediately asked Oregon's governor and attorney general, both Democrats, to stop the practice, the attorney general said he planned to spend a few days reviewing Oregon law before issuing his opinion.

``Any gay and lesbian couple who has been watching the events unfolding in California has had it in the back of their mind and wondering whether to go or not,'' said Mary Li, who along with partner Becky Kennedy became the first same-sex couple to receive an Oregon marriage license Wednesday morning.

As television news beamed shots of happy gay couples from Oregon, debate in Congress began Wednesday over the constitutional amendment and Frist said gay marriage is spreading like ``wildfire,'' adding it is becoming ``increasingly clear that Congress must act.''

Like San Francisco, the Multnomah County officials, in consultation with gay-rights advocates, had worked in secret to lay the legal groundwork for several weeks before deciding to move forward. Multnomah is Oregon's most populous and liberal county.

County leaders said they based their decision on a legal opinion from the county's attorney. In a statement, the county said, ``a majority of the board of county commissioners supports a policy change to allow the county to issue marriage licenses to same-sex couples.''

Unlike California, Oregon is one of 10 states whose laws don't expressly stipulate that marriage must be between a man and a woman.

The county attorney, in determining whether to issue the licenses to same-sex couples, wrote that Oregon state law ``does not state specifically that the contract may only be entered into between partners of the opposite sex. . . . Refusal to issue marriage licenses to same-sex couples denies them the privileges and immunities granted to heterosexual couples.''

As in other Western states, conservatives and liberals have battled over gay rights in Oregon for years. Radio talk-show hosts immediately called for the four county commissioners who supported the same-sex marriages to be recalled.

Wednesday's decision by Multnomah County drew criticism from leading Oregon Republicans and the Oregon Citizens Alliance, a group that has put anti-gay-rights initiatives before Oregon voters three times, but has yet to win a victory at the ballot box.

Lon Mabon, chair of the alliance, said he was surprised that liberal-leaning Multnomah County didn't follow in San Francisco's footsteps sooner, but predicted swift reaction.

``It is galvanizing support for a defense-of-marriage act,'' he said.

Meanwhile, Oregon Gov. Ted Kulongoski, who took office in January 2003, said he supports civil unions but is not sure the marriages are legal under state law.

In San Francisco, Mayor Gavin Newsom said: ``Justice is breaking out all over the place. We are heartened, but not surprised, that people recognize we have no room for discrimination in America.''