US Democratic Congressional Candidate Responds to BDSM Photos and Refuses to Drop Out
Chris Gallant, a Democratic candidate for the US House of Representatives from New York, has found himself in the spotlight due to his past. On September 13, it was revealed that the 37-year-old politician previously worked as a model for the well-known gay fetish and BDSM store Mr. S Leather. During this time, he was also serving as a pilot in the US Army National Guard.
According to a report by the New York Post, Gallant appeared in numerous photos in the catalog of the San Francisco-based store, posing in collars, leather straps, bondage gear, and neoprene equipment. Although the images have since been removed from the seller’s official website, they remain accessible in internet archives, where they were available between 2011 and 2020. The candidate’s identity in the explicit photos was confirmed using facial recognition software.
Representatives for the politician and his attorney confirmed the authenticity of the photographs. They stated that the pictures were taken around 2010 during a private, consensual photo session as part of a long-term romantic relationship. According to the attorney, Gallant was friends with the owner of Mr. S Leather, and the shoot was personal in nature, though the store was granted permission to use select images. Later, as he began considering a career in public service, the politician asked for the photos to be removed, and the company honored his request.
Gallant himself, who is running against incumbent Republican Congressman Nick LaLota in the upcoming elections, stated that he feels no shame over the images. “I’m not embarrassed or ashamed — I have always been unapologetically me,” he noted, adding that the photos in no way affect his qualifications as a Black Hawk helicopter pilot or his ability to safely fly commercial airliners.
The Suffolk County Democratic Committee supported their candidate. Committee representatives stated that Gallant has always been open and honest, and his private life does not diminish his political qualifications. In a post on the party’s official Instagram account, it was noted that the only thing these photos prove is “documented proof that Chris Gallant has a six-pack.”
In early October 2026, the controversy surrounding Gallant intensified after conservative outlets and social media accounts circulated additional archival photos from the same period, showing the candidate locked in a cage, wearing a leather harness and muzzle, as well as posing in AussieBum underwear at a nightlife event.
Addressing renewed calls from Republican rivals to exit the race, Gallant gave an in-depth interview to The New York Times, which was subsequently covered by the Daily Mail. The candidate reaffirmed that he refuses to apologize for a consensual photo shoot conducted nearly sixteen years ago with his then-boyfriend of four years. “All my friends know I’m kinky… I make Christian Grey look like amateur hour,” Gallant remarked, characterizing the leaks as a coordinated political hit designed to force him out of the race. Rather than backing down, Gallant embraced the national attention, incorporating the slogan “Make Politics Sexy Again” into his campaign merchandise.
