Cross-Dressing Heats Up Texas Republican Race

Photographs of congressional 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.

Walls said his family had "dealt with" the issue. He said he was apologizing to his supporters for any embarrassment caused by "a small part of my personal past."

Dozens of photos of Walls were seized by a company that repossessed a worn-out single-wide trailer registered in Walls' name at a mobile home park in Crowley in Tarrant County, near the Johnson County border.

The eviction was prompted by Walls' failure to pay rent, court records show.