WATCH: Penn. Governor Awkwardly Compares Marriage Equality to Incest

UPDATE: Read the eloquent response to the governor's remarks by Philadelphia's Rep. Brian Sims, the first openly gay man to be elected to state office, here.

Pennsylvania governor Tom Corbett said that marriage for gay and lesbian couples could be compared to marriages between siblings on Friday.

Corbett made the remark on Harrisburg's CBS News affiliate, after the reporter brought up a statement made in August by one of his attorneys, who said allowing same-sex couples to marry was legally similar to allowing 12-year-olds get married.

"It was an inappropriate analogy, you know," Corbett said. "I think a much better analogy would have been brother and sister, don't you?"

According to USA Today, the Republican has one of the lowest approval ratings for a sitting governor. He is up for reelection for 2014.

Vermont governor Peter Shumlin, chairman of the Democratic Governors Association, called Corbett's remark "offensive and demeaning."

Human Rights Campaign spokesman Fred Sainz said his remarks sounded more like an April Fools Day joke.

"Gov. Corbett proved today he is horribly out of touch with reality and does not represent the views of fair-minded Pennsylvanians," said Sainz in a statement. "Americans of all political stripes are embracing marriage equality and the nation is moving forward on the issue while Gov. Corbett wants to turn back the clock."