Democratic candidate Paul Davis' visit to a strip club in 1998 has plunged his Kansas gubernatorial bid in controversy as critics and opponent questioned his ability to govern in light of the issue.

Davis admitted he got caught up in a police raid that happened in the said club, but insisted he was not arrested or charged that time. He said bringing up the issue was just a "desperate" attempt by Republicans to smear his reputation, The New York Times reported.

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"I was in the wrong place at the wrong time," the Democrat said on Saturday. "Nobody has ever accused me of any wrongdoing."

The controversy arose after a recent survey showed Davis gaining traction over Sam Brownback, Davis' rival in the race and the incumbent governor.

However, the 1998 could ruin his advantage as Kansas is a very conservative state where strip clubs are quite unpopular.

Going to a strip club is contrary to the religious values of Kansas' population, Fort Hays State University political science professor said.

The strip club incident was published by The Coffeyville Journal, a local newspaper with no website, and Politico shed light on the report. The story later became widely circulated across Twitter and other social media networks.

Davis issued a short statement explaining that he was a lawyer back then for the owner of the strip club. His boss took him there and they just happened to be inside the establishment when the police arrived, he explained.

Kansas Republican Party executive director Clayton L. Barker released a comment that seemed to question Davis' ability and qualification to govern the state in light of the issue. He said the incident gave people a peek into the Democrat's character.

Meanwhile, Harry Smith, the present police chief in Independence, Kansas, said he was part of the drug task force that conducted the raid back then. He said Davis was not the focus of the operation and that he cooperated with them during the raid.

Smith echoed Davis' statement, saying the gubernatorial candidate did not do anything wrong and that he was just "in the wrong place at the wrong time."

TagsPaul Davis, U.S. election, Governor, strip club raid, smear campaign