Lilith
04-07-2004, 08:11 PM
DALLAS (Reuters) - What started as a dull runoff race
to field a Republican candidate for a seat in the
Texas House of Representatives has heated up due to a
controversy over cross-dressing.
The Fort Worth Star-Telegram reported on Tuesday
photographs of candidate Sam Walls dressed in women's
clothes have circulated among political leaders in
Johnson County, south of Fort Worth. Local Republican
leaders confirmed separately that they had seen the
photographs of Walls in a wig, dress and high heels.
Walls, who has the endorsement of several leading
Republicans in the state and was expected to win the
run-off, was not available for comment. He said in
comments printed in the Star-Telegram that he will not
drop out of the race due to a campaign of blackmail.
"Through intermediaries, my opponent told me to drop
out of the campaign or the private information would
be released," Walls told the paper. "Now my opponent
is using the information in an attempt to intimate
that I am a homosexual, which I am not."
Walls, 64, who describes himself as a fervent Baptist,
told the paper his family had "dealt with" the issue
of his cross-dressing and that he asked for
forgiveness.
The opponent in question is Rob Orr and his campaign
officials said they have not distributed the photos.
Jeff Judd, the county chairman of the Republican
party, said it was too late for Walls to drop out of
the April 13 runoff.
"It would have been much better judgment for him not
to have run," he said.
to field a Republican candidate for a seat in the
Texas House of Representatives has heated up due to a
controversy over cross-dressing.
The Fort Worth Star-Telegram reported on Tuesday
photographs of candidate Sam Walls dressed in women's
clothes have circulated among political leaders in
Johnson County, south of Fort Worth. Local Republican
leaders confirmed separately that they had seen the
photographs of Walls in a wig, dress and high heels.
Walls, who has the endorsement of several leading
Republicans in the state and was expected to win the
run-off, was not available for comment. He said in
comments printed in the Star-Telegram that he will not
drop out of the race due to a campaign of blackmail.
"Through intermediaries, my opponent told me to drop
out of the campaign or the private information would
be released," Walls told the paper. "Now my opponent
is using the information in an attempt to intimate
that I am a homosexual, which I am not."
Walls, 64, who describes himself as a fervent Baptist,
told the paper his family had "dealt with" the issue
of his cross-dressing and that he asked for
forgiveness.
The opponent in question is Rob Orr and his campaign
officials said they have not distributed the photos.
Jeff Judd, the county chairman of the Republican
party, said it was too late for Walls to drop out of
the April 13 runoff.
"It would have been much better judgment for him not
to have run," he said.