David Duke is explicitly tying his Senate candidacy to Donald Trump

(Image credit: AP Photo/Max Becherer)

published 29 August 2016

Former Ku Klux Klan grand wizard David Duke has recorded a robocall touting his candidacy for Senate in Louisiana, and in the recorded message he explicitly ties his campaign to Donald Trump's. Duke has been piggybacking on Trump's increasingly prominent campaign for months; this winter, Trump was forced to disavow Duke's endorsement several times after initially offering a muddled response.

In the call, Duke issues a joint plea to voters on behalf of both men. "It's time to stand up and vote for Donald Trump for president and vote for me, David Duke, for the U.S. Senate," he says:

In announcing his candidacy for Louisiana's Senate seat last month, Duke again drew comparisons to Trump's movement, saying he was "overjoyed to see Donald Trump, and most Americans, embrace most of the issues that I've championed for years." The Trump campaign has already distanced itself from the robocall, telling Politico: "Mr. Trump has continued to denounce David Duke and any group or individual associated with a message of hate. There is no place for this in the Republican Party or our country. We have no knowledge of these calls or any related activities, but strongly condemn and disavow."