Former Klansman David Duke enters U.S. Senate race

BATON ROUGE — Former Klansman David Duke emerged from a 17-year political hiatus here Friday to qualify for the U.S. Senate race in a state already roiling with racial tension, overshadowing the entrance of retired Col. Rob Maness into the fray.

"The climate in this country is moving in my direction," he said, also saying he "won't apologize for my past."

Duke said he will fight to end what he believes is "massive racial discrimination" against whites and called Black Lives Matter "a terrorist organization."

"Black Lives Matter has gone around the country and advocated for the murder of police officers," he said. Duke also said media have incited violence against police.

He said the murder of three Baton Rouge policemen triggered his entry into the race.

"People told me I have a duty to do this," Duke said. "I've been warning about this for a long time. When it happened I was shattered. We're still grieving but we also need to develop a righteous anger."

Duke, who said he had never advocated violence of any kind, said he will advocate for "true equal rights."

"There is massive racial discrimination going on against European Americans," he said. "They're seeking to cleanse European Americans from their own country."

Duke said he was inspired by Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump's acceptance speech, noting Trump discussed immigration and equal rights among other issues.

"I thought, wow, here's a man embracing the core issues I've fought for my whole life," he said.

Duke regained some notoriety during the presidential election cycle when he endorsed Trump. The Republican nominee was criticized for initially refusing to disavow Duke's support, saying he didn't know anything about Duke, before finally distancing himself from Duke days later.

"I don't care about what Donald Trump says about me; I respect what he's doing," Duke said.

The Louisiana Secretary of State's office said Duke, who was convicted of tax evasion in 2002, had his voter registration restored in May of this year. He hasn't voted since 2000. Previous felony convictions don't prohibit serving in elected office.

Duke is perhaps America's best-known white supremacist. He was elected to Louisiana's House of Representatives in 1989 and served one term.

Roger Villere, chairman of the Republican Party of Louisiana, quickly condemned Duke.

“The Republican Party opposes, in the strongest possible terms, David Duke’s candidacy for any public office," Villere said in a statement. "David Duke is a convicted felon and a hate-filled fraud who does not embody the values of the Republican Party."

National Republicans also distanced themselves from Duke.

"Louisiana voters will be able to choose from several Republican Senate candidates who will have a great impact on the Bayou State and the future of our country," National Republican Senatorial Committee executive director Ward Baker said in a statement. "David Duke is not one of them. He will not have the support of the NRSC under any circumstance."

Virtually all other Senate candidates, both Republicans and Democrats, denounced Duke.

Third District Congressman Charles Boustany, R-Lafayette, said Duke's candidacy "will be a disgraceful sideshow, and nothing more."

Public Service Commissioner Foster Campbell, a Democrat who's in the race, said Duke's rhetoric "the potential to rip our state and country apart. I vow to stand up to anyone seeking to divide rather than to unite our people," he said.

Duke was a perennial candidate in the 1970s, '80s and '90s with just one victory. But he was a factor in other races, especially in the 1990s, most notably making the runoff for governor in 1991 before losing to former Gov. Edwin Edwards.

He also secured 43 percent in a failed bid for the U.S. Senate in 1990 against then U.S. Sen. J. Bennett Johnston, a Democrat.

In his last race for Congress in 1999 Duke finished third and out of the runoff in an election eventually won by now Sen. David Vitter, a Republican.

Maness, of Madisonville, made a fiery entrance into the race Friday, blaming Congress and President Obama for the terrorist attacks that killed 49 in Orlando and 14 in San Bernardino.

"They're responsible for everything going on in this war," said Maness, who finished third in the 2014 U.S. Senate race behind current Republican Sen. Bill Cassidy and former Democrat Sen. Mary Landrieu. "Congress sets policy and has the authority to declare war."

Maness said war should have been declared on the Islamic State immediately after the Sep. 11, 2001 terrorist attacks. Both the Orlando and San Bernardino terrorists claimed allegiance to the Islamic State.

"We're going to fight and fight hard; we won't leave anything on the field," said Maness, who touted his leadership groomed by a 32-year career in the U.S. Air Force.

Beryl Billiot, a restaurateur from Kentwood with no party affiliation, also qualified for the race, bringing the total number of candidates to 24, the most on record in the secretary of state's office. They are all vying to replace Republican U.S. Sen. David Vitter, who isn't seeking re-election.

Those who previously qualified for the Nov. 8 race on Wednesday and Thursday include:

Boustany; Campbell; former Congressman Joseph Cao, R-New Orleans; Thomas Clements, Libertarian-Lafayette; Donald "Crawdaddy" Crawford, R-Covington; Derrick Edwards, D-Harvey; Caroline Fayard, D-New Orleans; 4th District Congressman John Fleming, R-Minden;

Le Roy "Rev" Gillam, Libertarian-Washington; former state lawmaker Troy Hebert of Jeanerette, no party affiliation; state Treasurer John Kennedy, R-Madisonville; Gary Landrieu, D-New Orleans; William Robert "Bob" Lang Jr., no party affiliation, Natchitoches; Kaitlin Marone of New Orleans, no party affiliation; Charles Marsala, R-Metairie; MV "Vinny" Mendoza, D-Ponchatoula; Abhay Patel, R-New Orleans; Joshua Pellerin, D-Lafayette; Gregory Taylor Jr., no party affiliation, New Orleans; Arden "Dixiecrat" Wells, no party affiliation, Ponchatoula; and the Rev. Peter Williams, D-Lettsworth.