Larry Kilgore

Larry SECEDE Kilgore (born 1965) is a political activist in the Texas Secessionist Movement. He is a perennial Republican candidate who has run in multiple Texas statewide elections.[1] He is one of the most prominent supporters of Texas secession (going so far as to change his legal middle name to "SECEDE" in late 2012[2]). Kilgore received his most widespread attention during his advocacy for U.S. state secession petitions following the 2012 presidential election.

Larry Kilgore
Personal details
Born
Larry Scott Kilgore

1965 (age 57–58)
Amarillo, Texas, United States
Political partyRepublican
OccupationTelecommunications contractor

Political aspirations

Kilgore has never won a Republican primary. He ran for governor in 2006 and came second in the Republican primary behind Governor Rick Perry with 50,119 votes (7.64%).[3] He then ran for the U.S. Senate in 2008 and came second in the Republican primary behind Senator John Cornyn with 225,897 votes (18.51%). He ran again for governor in 2014 but was not a factor in the March 4 nomination of fellow Republican Greg Abbott, the outgoing state attorney general, who succeeded Perry as governor in January 2015.[4][5] He ran for the Republican nomination for governor in the March 6, 2018 Republican Party Primary Election, against Abbott and Barbara Krueger.[6] Kilgore came in last place with only 1% of the vote.[7]

Political positions

Kilgore believes that Texas could leave the U.S. without permission from the federal government, despite legal precedent of Texas v. White establishing the opposite.[1] His motto has been "Secession! All other issues can be dealt with later"

Kilgore has advanced a number of other policies in his political bids, mainly based on what he considers biblical law. Running for the U.S. Senate in 2008, he advocated the death penalty for abortion, adultery and homosexuality and flogging for vulgar language and transvestitism. He also believes that Abraham Lincoln was the American equivalent of Adolf Hitler.[3] He discussed this view and his support for secessionism in general when he appeared in a segment of The Daily Show on 21 February 2013.[8]

Personal life

Kilgore lives in Arlington, Texas, and works as a telecommunications contractor.[1]

References
  1. Fernandez, Manny (November 23, 2012). "With Stickers, a Petition and Even a Middle Name, Secession Fever Hits Texas". New York Times.
  2. "Look at who's running for governor". December 22, 2017.
  3. "Death for adultery; flogging for cussing". Houston Chronicle. August 23, 2007.
  4. "Texas Secession Petition: Larry Kilgore To Change Middle Name To 'SECEDE'". Archived from the original on November 30, 2012. Retrieved November 28, 2012.
  5. "After Obama Win, Some Voters Talk of Secession". November 26, 2012.
  6. Hawkins, Celinda (February 14, 2018). "Runnels County Republican Party Chair attends Abbott event". Runnels County Register. Retrieved February 24, 2018.
  7. "Texas Primary Election Results". The New York Times. March 7, 2018.
  8. "Tyranny & Texas". The Daily Show. February 21, 2013. Retrieved December 12, 2017.
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