Gay congressional candidate goes viral for X-rated BDSM ads

This story originally appeared on Out.Openly gay congressional candidate Chris Gallant’s past as a model for San Francisco’s oldest operating fetish shop has been uncovered, and the news is going viral.Gallant, who is running to oust Rep. Nick LaLota (R-NY) and help the Democratic Party retake the House majority in 2026, used to model for Mr. S Leather, according to a report by The New York Post.The 37-year-old politician has confirmed the fact that he took photos for the BDSM fetish store, which sells everything from leather harnesses and ball gags to sex toys and jockstraps.“The photographs are authentic and were taken during a private, consensual photo session involving Chris and his then-partner, with whom he was in a committed four-year relationship,” Gallant’s attorney Sara Azari said in a statement to The Post. The framing of The Post's article seems intended to elicit judgment from readers, waiting until the 15th paragraph to touch on the fact that Gallant is also a Black Hawk pilot, Army veteran, National Guardsman, former air traffic controller and union leader, and volunteer firefighter.“Gallant, a Black Hawk helicopter pilot, has served in the Army National Guard since 2006, according to his LinkedIn profile — likely during the time he posed for the XXX-rated images,” The Post article reads.The images published show Gallant in white boxer briefs, one where he's modeling a leather collar, and another where he's wearing a leather harness.Gallant’s lawyer stated that the political candidate was friends with the owner of Mr. S Leather and that the photos were “intended to be fun and personal,” with the understanding that the images could be used to sell products, but has since requested that the photos be removed. “As Chris began considering a future in public service, he asked that the photographs no longer be used and that they be removed from the company’s website. Mr. S honored his request,” Azari said.The Post reports that it