DALLAS – The growing controversy between Dallas Mayor Mike Rawlings and gay and lesbian groups in the city will spill on to City Hall Plaza Friday night.

The gay groups say they’re organizing a 7:00 p.m. protest of Rawlings’ refusal to sign a pledge to fight for gay marriage.

And Rawlings says although he’ll meet with them, he’s not backing down.

After being in Washington last week, Rawlings led the city council meeting again, determined to stick to city business.

“[W]e were getting off track and dealing with some partisan politics, some issues that I don’t think are relevant to the lion’s share of the citizens of Dallas, so chose not to do it,” Rawlings said.

During the U.S. Conference of Mayors meeting, many large-city mayors held a news conference to sign a pledge by a group called “Freedom to Marry” to fight for gay marriage.

But Rawlings refused, upsetting Dallas gay groups.

“We’re going to continue to pressure him to change his position to match what he says his personal views are,” said Daniel Cates, a spokesman for the direct action group, GetEqual Texas. “This is an economic and health issue that impacts thousands of people that live in his city.”

A UCLA study of census data that found Dallas has more same sex couples than any other Texas city per 1,000 households. There are about 6,900 same sex couples in the city and about 9,700 in Dallas County.

But when voters passed the 2005 state constitutional amendment banning same sex marriage, two thirds in Dallas County supported it.

Rawlings says he understands somebody will be upset.

“What I want to try to do, is not make everybody happy, but to make sure everybody has access to me,” Rawlings said.

The mayor, who appeared in the Dallas gay pride parade, says he personally supports gay marriage and will meet with gay leaders Saturday.

That’s after gay groups demonstrate at City Hall Friday night.

Cates says they won’t give up.

“I think we’re going to continue to pressure him,” he said.