A Republican candidate for Virginia lieutenant governor is suing over anonymous text messages that smeared him as a "gay Democrat."
Virginia House of Delegates member Glenn Davis, who is straight, filed a $450,0000 defamation suit Tuesday against an unknown Jane Doe for sending the homophobic messages depicting him wearing a rainbow-colored shirt to a gay pride event.
"If bad actions are allowed to go without repercussions, we will never see honesty, integrity, & civil discourse return to GOP politics," Davis tweeted about the lawsuit.
© Steve EarleyDelegate Glenn Davis of the 84th District House of Delegates seat arrives at the Republican victory party in Virginia Beach, Va., Tuesday, Nov. 5, 2019.
Delegate Glenn Davis of the 84th District House of Delegates seat arrives at the Republican victory party in Virginia Beach, Va., Tuesday, Nov. 5, 2019. (Steve Earley/)
Davis also wants to find out who sent the text messages, which touted his main opponent Tim Hugo, a former Virginia House of Delegates member, as "the only conservative running for Lt. Governor."
The messages were sent to state convention delegates asking them to help Davis "come out of the closet" by opposing him.
Davis is straight and has been married for 16 years. He says he unapologetically supports equality for LGBTQ people.
Hugo's campaign says it has nothing to do with the texts and says it supports Davis' lawsuit.
Davis and Hugo will face off Saturday along with several other candidates in a state convention that will pick the Republican nominee in the November general election.