One candidate running for office in West Texas has a family Christmas photo getting explosive shares on social media, drawing over 100,000 views on LinkedIn and thousands of reactions on Twitter.

Candidate Casey Gray (R-Odessa), who is running in the March 1, 2022, Republican Primary for the HD-81 seat in the Texas House of Representatives, shared the viral gun-toting family Christmas photo on all his social media platforms earlier this week – and the image took off, drawing attention among both pro-gun-rights and gun control advocates alike.

The image is similar to another popular family Christmas photo that went viral earlier this month from Kentucky Congressman Thomas Massie, who also showed off the family’s Second Amendment collection – causing a number of other politicians to mimic the photo.

“Surprisingly I surpassed 100,000 (views) mark and triggered the left with Jesus, Guns and a nuclear family.  God Bless You All,” Gray wrote, on Facebook, sharing the recent results of his viral family image on other social media platforms.

Gray, who is a retired military veteran and gun rights activist, is challenging incumbent State Representative Brooks Landgraf in the House District 81 Republican Primary.  

Matt Stringer is a journalist from Odessa, Texas.