Ex-KKK leader Duke tries political comeback in US Senate run
David Duke headshot, former Ku Klux Klan imperial wizard (Image Credit: AP)
BATON ROUGE, La. (AP) — A quarter century after his credible run for governor of Louisiana rattled the national political establishment, white supremacist David Duke has joined a wide open field seeking a U.S. Senate seat.
On Friday, he declared "the climate of this country has moved in my direction," as he registered to run as a Republican for the Senate seat being vacated by David Vitter.
Duke once served in the Louisiana Legislature, but he hasn't held elected office since 1994. The former Ku Klux Klan leader fell into relative obscurity after losing a 1991 runoff for governor.
Duke spent a year in federal prison after pleading guilty to bilking supporters and cheating on taxes — although he declared he'd done nothing wrong.
He joins 23 other candidates seeking the Senate seat.