Texas gubernatorial candidate Larry SECEDE Kilgore is shown in 2006, left, and in 2017. He says he doesn't plan to cut his hair or beard until Texas bans abortion.

Kill-The-Gays Candidate Captures 20K Votes in Texas GOP Primary

John WrightMarch 7, 2018

238 1 minute read

Larry SECEDE Kilgore, who supports the death penalty for homosexuality, captured more than 20,000 votes in his GOP primary against incumbent Texas Governor Greg Abbott.

Kilgore, with 1.3 percent, finished third and last in the race, behind Abbott (90.4 percent) and runner-up Barbara Krueger (8.3 percent). But Kilgore exceeded his total from 2014, when he captured 19,055 votes in the GOP primary against Abbott. With 99.5 percent of precincts reporting Tuesday night, Kilgore had received 20,418 votes.

Late last year, Kilgore wrote on social media that he would “gladly execute a convicted sodomite.” But it was not the first time he had called for the death penalty for gays.

Although he increased his vote total over 2014, Kilgore’s numbers were still down sharply from previous races. He captured 50,000 votes against Gov. Rick Perry in 2006, and 225,000 votes against Senator John Cornyn in 2008.

Kilgore legally changed his middle name to SECEDE in 2012.