Anti-Gay Drag Queen Emeritus Loses GOP Bid for NC State Senate

It looks like North Carolina won't have it's first anti-gay retired drag queen in the state legislature after all.

With only 27.9 percent of the vote, Republican senatorial hopeful and retired drag queen Steve Wiles (aka Mona Sinclair), who went on the record as supporting the state's ban on same-sex marriage, failed to win his party's nomination for state senate from his very conservative district in North Carolina this week.

Wiles' primary race for state senate came to national attention when the former owner of a now defunct gay bar in North Carolina tipped off the Winston Salem Journal that the conservative candidate considered by many to be anti-gay for his views on marriage equality, performed under the drag name "Mona Sinclair" from 2002 to 2010.

According to the Journal, in his post-Mona Sinclair years, Wiles worked promoting the Miss Gay America pageant until he was relieved from his duties for "conduct unbecoming."

Wiles immediately drew criticism from both the gay and Christian communities for his anti-gay views and drag queen past. In an attempt to appease concerns from both camps, Wiles posted a statement on his Facebook page.

I'm impressed by the way this story was used to present me to the conservative right as a gay advocate while at the same time presenting me as anti-gay to the gay community. THAT...is talent! I am a Christian...I try to live a life that reflects my beliefs...I rarely, if ever, hit that mark! Meanwhile, I've maintained life-long friendships with a few people from the "club" days. One person springs to mind, although I will not call names, who is a former Miss Gay America, NC USofA and has performed successfully all of his adult life - he is one of the most loving men I've EVER known...Loving and accepting of everyone around him. He would do ANYTHING for his friends....I respect that in a person. He knows (and always has known) of my conservative stand on issues like gay marriage; he accepts that although he doesn't agree with me.

In an eleventh hour attempt to save his campaign, Wiles went again to his Facebook account with the following post:

Past mistakes are accounted for and atoned - vote! There are many who would have non-issues made more important that REAL issues. PRAY and VOTE

According to Gay Star News, despite his efforts, Wiles came in last in Tuesday's primary with 27.9 percent of the vote, eked out slightly by contender Dempsey Brewer who had 28.7 percent of the vote. The incumbent, Joyce Krawiec walked away with 43.8 percent of the vote.