Missouri GOP candidate: Child abuse made me gay for 5 years but I overcame 'evil'

Republican Missouri gubernatorial candidate Bob Dixon asserted this week that child abuse had made him gay for a period of five years but that he had "overcome" homosexuality with the help of religion.

After the state senator threw his hat into the race for governor last week, the Riverfront Times pointed out that his platform of supporting only "traditional marriage" left out the fact that Dixon had "lived as homosexual for five years until an undefined 'religious experience' in October, 1988."

In a statement obtained by the Springfield News-Leader this week, Dixon explained more about his transformation.

"Through the years, I have publicly spoken about being abused as a child and the confusion this caused me as a teenager," Dixon wrote. "I have put the childhood abuse, and the teenage confusion behind me. What others intended for harm has resulted in untold good. I have overcome, and will not allow evil to win."

"I began this campaign from my front porch surround by people I love and those who know me best, my wife Amanda and our daughters," he added. "I told those gathered there that my faith in an Almighty God who is full of love and compassion is at the core of all I do to help others, and daily helps me to set the compass."

"My faith in a loving and just God has helped to guide my approach with people. There are those who constantly seek to divide us, but I am committed to renewing the Spirit of Missouri and bringing people together with sensible conservative solutions."

Bob DIxon Statment_072415 by SNLeader

Video of Dixon's campaign announcement is below.