Domestic partnership legislation failed in the Senate today, by a vote of 17 to 25. Click below to read the (very, very long) transcript of our live blog, and to watch a (relatively short) video of the debate and vote.

In our comprehensive coverage of domestic partnership legislation, NMI has live blogged a joint committee hearing, covered the dramatic votes that brought the bill to the Senate floor and examined a poll commissioned by the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) and a poll commissioned by the state Republican Party. We’ve looked into the Catholic church’s involvement in this issue, taken a close look at some supporters, seen the governor take a stand and analyzed the dynamics of today’s floor vote.

As we have previously noted, the bill, sponsored by Sen. Cisco McSorley, D-Albuquerque, would give straight and gay couples many of the same rights and responsibilities of civil marriage, such as access to health insurance, family medical leave and property rights. It is supported by groups such as the ACLU, Equality New Mexico and Human Rights Campaign, but opposed by the New Mexico Conference of Catholic Bishops.

Last year, domestic partnership legislation died in the Senate Judiciary committee. In 2007 it passed the House but was defeated on the Senate floor.

There are 27 Democrats and 15 Republicans in the Senate, but Democrats also outnumbered Republicans in 2007, when the bill was defeated by one vote. Last week, supporters of domestic partnership told NMI they were trying hard to sway Sens. Pete Campos of Las Vegas, Linda Lovejoy of Crownpoint, Howie Morales of Silver City and David Ulibarri of Grants, whom they believed to be undecided or wavering.

“We’re hopeful, but I wouldn’t say confident. We’re praying that the outcome will be that the bill is stopped,” Deacon Steve Rangel, associate director of the New Mexico Conference of Catholic Bishops, told NMI last week.