It?s not all that surprising that Republican Sam Walls lost his runoff for a state House seat in Texas after it was revealed that Walls liked to crossdress. A fairly recent picture of Walls in a wig and makeup started making the rounds during the election. And Walls served as treasurer of the local ?heterosexual crossdresser? society in 2000.

What is somewhat surprising is how many of Walls? friends and GOP colleagues came to his defense. OK, so they were saying things like, ?he?s not a murderer,? and ?at least he doesn?t smoke.? But there was definitely a recognition among many local Republicans that this doesn?t make Walls a bad person.

It was a little unnerving, though, when county GOP Treasurer Roy Giddens said he didn?t have a problem with crossdressing because ?J. Edgar Hoover was one of the greatest Americans who ever lived.?