Nothing gets the people more worked up than political hypocrisy.

But the case of Virginia Rep. Edward Schrock should bring no joy to muckrakers, Democrats or gay activists.

Schrock is a conservative Republican from a conservative district in Virginia. He unexpectedly quit his quest for a third term on Monday citing only what he called “allegations.”

As the Washington Post and numerous other media outlets have since reported, a gay activist “outed” Schrock earlier in August, alleging he is secretly gay. The activist says he’s justified because Schrock voted for the Defense of Marriage Act, is a co-sponsor of a proposed constitutional amendment that would define marriage as only being between a man and a woman and supports ending the military’s “Don’t ask, don’t tell” policy while instituting a screening question about sexual orientation.

When the executive director of the Christian Civic League of Maine threatened to expose gay lawmakers and government workers in March, this page, and much of the state, reacted with appropriate outrage.

The same outrage should apply to what has happened to Schrock.

There is no confirmation about the validity of the claim, but the mere allegation has been enough to end Schrock’s congressional career.

Schrock’s fate shows the difficulty and stigma that many gays and lesbians still face. Sexual orientation is a private matter and should be treated as such.