Tom Leppert at gay Pride in 2007
Former Dallas Mayor Tom Leppert has conceded the race for the GOP nomination for U.S. Senate.
“We’ve had a lot of good days and this wasn’t one of them,” Leppert told The Dallas Morning News.
With 667 of 8,779 precincts reporting, Leppert was in third place with just 15 percent of the vote statewide.
Lt. Gov. David Dewhurst was leading with 47 percent, but appeared headed for a runoff with former solicitor general Ted Cruz, who was second with 29 percent. Unless remaining Election Day voting results push Dewhurst over the 50 percent runoff — which seems unlikely — he’ll face Cruz on July 31.
Leppert was repeatedly attacked during the campaign for appearing twice at gay Pride while mayor of Dallas.
In addition to appearing at Pride, Leppert hired an openly gay chief of staff and repeatedly expressed support for the LGBT community. However, immediately after stepping down to run for Senate, in a slap in the face to the LGBT community, he sent out an anti-gay tweet and came out against both same-sex marriage and civil unions.