Gay Army pilot who refused to quit over leather photos concedes House race: ‘Still your neighbor’

Gay Army Black Hawk pilot Chris Gallant lost his bid to unseat Republican U.S. Rep. Nick LaLota in New York’s 1st Congressional District, conceding Wednesday with a message that had defined his campaign: Public service should be judged by what a person can do for their community.

“Last night, the voters of the First District made their decision, and I fully respect it,” Gallant said in a statement. “Though we are disappointed in the outcome, this race is a reminder of the values that we can demand from our leaders: honesty, loyalty, and steadfast commitment to serving this country and each other.”

The Democrat said he had spoken with LaLota earlier Wednesday and congratulated him “as a brother in arms.”

“He is a true Long Islander, and I wish him well in securing results for the district and the people of New York,” Gallant said.

The result keeps the Long Island seat in Republican hands and closes a campaign in which Gallant’s record of military and community service competed for attention with scrutiny of his private life.

Related: Gay Army Black Hawk pilot Chris Gallant won’t let old fetish photos define his run for Congress

Gallant, an Army National Guard pilot, former Federal Aviation Administration air traffic controller and union leader, and volunteer firefighter, drew national attention after photographs of him modeling for fetish retailer Mr. S Leather resurfaced. He acknowledged the images and refused to be shamed out of the race, arguing that voters deserved a campaign focused on his qualifications and their needs. VoteVets backed his candidacy.

In an October interview with The Advocate, Gallant described the distress of watching those photographs become a political story, then said he would keep running without apologizing for who he was.

“I am going to be who I am. I’m not ashamed of who I am,” he said.

On Wednesday, he carried that argument into his concession.

“Together, we have proved that what should define a candidate is what they can do for their community and fellow citizens,” Gallant said. “What should qualify them is their resume.”

He thanked staff members who had worked through exhaustion and voters who had opened their lives to him, including nurses, electricians, veterans and lifelong Republicans. He recalled their worries about rent, property taxes, their parents’ health care and children who could no longer afford to remain on Long Island.

“They are the reasons why I ran, and those problems did not go away last night,” he said.

Gallant did not announce another bid for office. Instead, he described an obligation to continue serving that would survive the election’s outcome.

“I’m going to continue serving my country,” he said. “I am still a firefighter, still a pilot, still your neighbor, and I’ll find the next way to be useful to this community.”