Republican US Senate candidate claims American culture is in decline because people are 'preoccupied with homosexual activities'

  • Alabama's secretary of state John Merrill was speaking at a campaign rally 
  • Merrill is currently running for the US Senate as a Republican candidate
  • The Alabama politician later defended comments about 'homosexual activities' 

Alabama's secretary of state said during a campaign rally that American culture is in decline because people are 'preoccupied with homosexual activities'.

John Merrill, who is currently running for US Senate as a Republican candidate, was speaking at a campaign stop in Fort Payne, Alabama on Saturday.

In a controversial speech to the gathered crowd at the Dekalb County Republican Breakfast Club Merrill blamed the lack of good TV shows for a growing divide in American culture.

'There are no more good TV shows on like Gunsmoke, Bonanza, The Virginian, Andy Griffith, I Love Lucy,' Merrill said according to Yellowhammer News.

Alabama's secretary of state John Merrill (pictured speaking at a campaign rally last month) made the comments on Saturday

Alabama's secretary of state John Merrill (pictured speaking at a campaign rally last month) made the comments on Saturday

'We don't have those shows anymore. We're too interested in homosexual activities.

'We're too interested in seeing how this family's finding a way to mess on this family or to see how people are trying to date on TV, or having wife-swapping on TV.

'That's what we watch,' he continued, 'When we push back against that, and we quit allowing it to be in our homes – that's how those changes have occurred because we've allowed them to slowly but surely come into our lives.' 

In a phone interview on Monday, however, Merrill defended his comments - saying TV culture had become too liberal.   

'I meant what I said,' the secretary of state told AL.com.

'People are too interested in anything that is not uplifting, edifying. They're too busy being preoccupied with homosexual activities and the wife swap shows,' he added.

Merrill (pictured with his wife Cindy Merrill) is currently running for US Senate as a Republican candidate

Merrill (pictured with his wife Cindy Merrill) is currently running for US Senate as a Republican candidate

Despite his staunch defence, Merrill reportedly declined to give examples of how Americans are too preoccupied with 'homosexual activities.' 

Merrill took the opportunity to bemoan the lack of traditional family values and also endorsed President Trump during the speech.

He said despite not supporting him in the initial stages of his candidacy back in 2015 and 2016, he was now supporting Trump 'because he's our nominee and he's going to be our next president'. 

The veteran Republican politician also threw his weight behind the President's border policy by saying: 'We're going to help build the wall'.  

Merrill is one of four candidates competing for the Republican nomination to take on Democratic Sen. Doug Jones.

As Alabama's Secretary of State, he said he kept illegal immigrants out of the election process by supporting voter identification laws.

Merrill threw his support behind Donald Trump and his border wall policy during the speech

Merrill threw his support behind Donald Trump and his border wall policy during the speech