As Republicans debate over who will be the next Speaker of the House, House Majority Leader Steve Scalise (La.) has obtained an unlikely ally: Louisiana Democratic Rep. Troy Carter.
Carter, a member of the Congressional Black Caucus, attempted to contradict statements that Scalise is racist.
“Earlier today I was asked if Congressman Scalise was racist,” Carter posted on X, formerly Twitter. “I’ve known the man for 25 years and we have stark ideological differences. We have often agreed to disagree. In that time, however, I have never seen him display racial intolerance. I count him amongst my friends and I wouldn’t if I felt otherwise.”
Carter’s comments come as the House is once again scrambling to elect a Speaker. Rep. Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) was removed from the position last week in a historic vote led by Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-Fla.).
Scalise won the GOP’s secret ballot election Wednesday to replace McCarthy, but the congressman has come under fire in recent days for a 2002 speech at the European-American Unity and Rights Organization — a white supremacist group founded by former Ku Klux Klan leader David Duke. At the time, Scalise was a state lawmaker.
Reporter Stephanie Grace also wrote in 2014 for The Advocate that upon first meeting Scalise some 20 years prior as she covered Jefferson Parish in Louisiana and he began his political career, Scalise had said he was “like David Duke without the baggage.”
With a chance to be third in line for the presidency, Scalise has been working to reframe his past. He called his appearance at the conference “a mistake” that was meant to build support for a tax proposal.
“I emphatically oppose the divisive racial and religious views groups like these hold. I am very disappointed that anyone would try to infer otherwise for political gain,” Scalise said in a statement this week, as reported by Politico.
“As a Catholic, these groups hold views that are vehemently opposed to my own personal faith, and I reject that kind of hateful bigotry. Those who know me best know I have always been passionate about helping, serving, and fighting for every family that I represent. And I will continue to do so.”
Though many in his conference have defended Scalise, including former Speaker John Boehner (R-Ohio) and McCarthy, some have refused to support him in the battle for the Speaker.
“I’ve been very vocal about this over the last couple of days: I personally cannot, in good conscience, vote for someone who attended a white supremacist conference and compared himself to David Duke,” Rep. Nancy Mace (R-S.C.) said. “I would be doing an enormous disservice to the voters that I represent in South Carolina if I were to do that.”
Despite his defense of Scalise, Carter has rallied with Democrats to nominate House Minority Leader Rep. Hakeem Jeffries (D-N.Y.), who once again received unanimous support from his party to be Speaker.
The Hill has reached out to Scalise’s offices for comment.