PHILADELPHIA – A top Republican National Committee official slammed a reporter on Tuesday for asking if the GOP would support former Klu Klux Klan Grand Wizard David Duke if it meant keeping control of the Senate in November.
“No, that’s ridiculous,” RNC communications director Sean Spicer told reporters at the GOP’s headquarters here at the Democratic National Convention. “There’s no way, shape or form that this party has room in it for somebody like David Duke.”
Duke launched a bid for Louisiana’s open Senate seat last Friday, choosing to run as a Republican. He has been a staunch supporter of GOP presidential nominee Donald Trump, although the Trump campaign has recently distanced itself from the former Klan leader.
In order to maintain a majority in the Senate, incumbent Republicans facing tough reelection bids in at least five states will have to defend their seats. Democrats would regain control if they succeed in flipping four seats their way.
Even with the Supreme Court vacancy hanging in the balance, Spicer said the GOP will never get behind Duke.
“At some point you have to stand on some kind of principle and David Duke does not speak for what the Republican Party is,” he told reporters. “When you’re a white supremacist, I think that’s pretty black and white, there’s no gray.”
Spicer became visibly frustrated when Weekly Standard editor Michael Warren asked if Trump can be credited with inspiring Duke to run. Duke recently said his decision to re-enter politics was partly due to watching Trump succeed in his bid for the Republican presidential nomination.
“This is ridiculous. Give me a break. That’s insulting,” Spicer shot back. “That’s really – that’s ridiculous. You should go play the same game with the Democrats and talk about every sort of socialist leftist and say, ‘What’s the difference between Hillary Clinton?'”
He continued, “I think there’s a point at which to sort of make an accusation like that is pretty ridiculous. We’ve made our position clear.”
Spicer’s response comes 48 hours after Trump told NBC’s Chuck Todd that he would support the Democratic Senate candidate over Duke if it came down to it.
