Texas Senate Candidate: Gays "Have to Answer to the Lord"

During a primary debate for GOP candidates vying to replace retiring Texas U.S. senator Kay Bailey Hutchison, Craig James chastised a politician for marching in a Pride parade, said being gay is a choice, and declared LGBT people will "have to answer to the Lord."

At the Wednesday debate in Dallas, James, a retired sports analyst, chastised former Dallas mayor Tom Leppert for marching in a Pride parade.

"I think right now in this country, our moral fiber is sliding down a slope that is going to be hard to stop if we don't stand up with leaders who don't go ride in gay parades," James said, according to reports. "I can assure you I will never ride in a gay parade."

When the moderator asked James if he believed gay people choose their sexual orientation, he responded by saying, "I think that you have to make that choice. But in that case right there, they are going to have to answer to the Lord for their actions. We should not give benefits to those civil unions."