An Update on Tom Malin: Still Going Strong

With the Democratic primary in his district less than a week away, some of you have been wondering: What's the latest news about Tom Malin, the ex-gay-prostitute and former Mary Kay salesman , who is now running for the Texas state legislature?

Yesterday it was reported that Malin is refusing to drop out of the race, despite calls for him to do so. He definitely subscribes to the "no such thing as bad publicity" school of thought:

He said the flurry of media reports of his escort-service past has boosted his visibility, and he is drawing sympathy for his "honesty and openness" in describing how he has overcome adversity.

It's all a bit moot, since the Democrats don't have much of a chance in the general election. The district is solidly Republican -- and Democratic primary voters get to choose between an ex-gay salesman... and a gay ex-salesman!

Malin, 37, is competing in the primary against another gay Democrat, Jack Borden, 65, a retired salesman. Borden, a member of the Dallas Stonewall Democrats, has run and lost at least a dozen times in various races for state and municipal offices...

After news of Malin's past came out, the Dallas Morning News withdrew its endorsement of him -- but Malin sees things a little differently:

[Malin] said he considers the Dallas Morning News to have reinstated its endorsement of him because the paper has continued to post its original endorsement editorial on its website. Editorial page writer Roger Jones disputes this assumption. Through his assistant, Carol Portley, Jones said on Feb. 28 that the editorial endorsing Malin was left on the website unintentionally and would be removed.

There's something charming about Malin's optimistic spin, so we hate to be the bearers of bad news. "The Dallas Morning News? Sorry, Tom -- they're just not that into you."

 Gay Texan Asks Campaign "Redemption" [Washington Blade]

Earlier:  In Defense of Mary Kay Products 

 Tom Malin for State Rep: Because the Texas Legislature Needs More Bottoms