--- title: David Duke Says He and Trump Have the Same Message description: Former Ku Klux Klan leader David Duke is running for Senate in Louisiana, and he says Donald Trump's popularity is helping him in the race. canonical: https://time.com/4514350/david-duke-donald-trump-senate-louisiana/ author: Tessa Berenson article:opinion: false article:content_tier: free article:published_time: 2016-09-30T12:00:05.000Z article:modified_time: 2026-08-19T07:42:07.274Z article:section: Politics og:title: David Duke Says He and Trump Have the Same Message og:description: Former Ku Klux Klan leader David Duke is running for Senate in Louisiana, and he says Donald Trump's popularity is helping him in the race. og:url: https://time.com/4514350/david-duke-donald-trump-senate-louisiana/ og:site_name: TIME og:image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt468bf010e3afcd1c/6988a7edcd1bba40c5702814/trump16.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 og:image:width: 4356 og:image:height: 2450 og:image:alt: APTOPIX Campaign 2016 Trump og:type: article twitter:card: summary_large_image twitter:title: David Duke Says He and Trump Have the Same Message twitter:description: Former Ku Klux Klan leader David Duke is running for Senate in Louisiana, and he says Donald Trump's popularity is helping him in the race. twitter:image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt468bf010e3afcd1c/6988a7edcd1bba40c5702814/trump16.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 ---  # David Duke Says He and Donald Trump Have the Same Message > Sponsored content. 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It explains the politics, personalities and power dynamics behind the headlines, three times a week. #### Where can I get analysis of Washington politics by email? D.C. Brief is TIME's free Washington politics newsletter, available at time.com/newsletters. It is written by a TIME senior correspondent who covers the capital full time. #### Who writes TIME's D.C. Brief? Philip Elliott, a senior correspondent at TIME, writes D.C. Brief. #### Is D.C. Brief free? Yes. D.C. Brief is free at time.com/newsletters. ## Video: Trump Refuses To Disavow David Duke Or KKK on SOTU [Watch (HLS stream): Trump Refuses To Disavow David Duke Or KKK on SOTU](https://cdn.jwplayer.com/manifests/F9PfjTVT.m3u8) (1:10)  _Published 2016-02-28_  by [Tessa Berenson](https://time.com/author/tessa-berenson/)  ## Tessa Berenson Sep 30, 2016 12:00 PM UTC  Donald Trump is seen through the audience before participating in a roundtable event in Miami, on Sept. 27, 2016. Donald Trump is seen through the audience before participating in a roundtable event in Miami, on Sept. 27, 2016. John Locher—AP  by [Tessa Berenson](https://time.com/author/tessa-berenson/)  ## Tessa Berenson Sep 30, 2016 12:00 PM UTC Former Ku Klux Klan leader David Duke is [running for Senate in Louisiana](http://time.com/4419382/david-duke-ku-klux-klan-senate-louisiana/?iid=sr-link3), and he says Donald Trump’s popularity is helping him in the race. “I love it,” Duke [told the LA Times](http://www.latimes.com/politics/la-na-pol-trump-david-duke-20160928-snap-story.html). “The fact that Donald Trump’s doing so well, it proves that I’m winning. I am winning.” Duke also told the LA Times that Trump’s proposed policies, like building a wall along the border with Mexico and [banning Muslims from entering the country](http://time.com/4366912/donald-trump-orlando-shooting-muslim-ban/?iid=sr-link1), show the country is open to a white power message. “He’s talking about it in a visceral way,” Duke said. “Donald Trump is talking implicitly. I’m talking explicitly.” After initially [hesitating to disavow Duke](http://time.com/4240268/donald-trump-kkk-david-duke/?iid=sr-link1) or reject Duke’s endorsement, Trump now distances himself from the white nationalist leader. “We disavow any groups associated with a message of hate,” said Trump campaign spokeswoman Hope Hicks. Read more about Trump and white nationalists in TIME’s April magazine story on the subject, ‘[The Billionaire and the Bigots](http://time.com/4293564/the-billionaire-and-the-bigots/?iid=sr-link2).’ ## Transcript Well just so you understand I don't know anything about David Duke. Okay. I don't know anything about what you're even talking about with white supremacy or white supremacists. So I don't know. I mean, I don't know did he endorse me or what's going on? Because, you know, I know nothing about David Duke. I know nothing about white supremacists. And so, you are asking me a question that I'm supposed to be talking about people that I know nothing about. I guess, the question from the Anti- Defamation League is, even if you don't know about their endorsement, there are these groups and individuals endorsing you. Would you just say unequivocally, you condemn them and you don't want their support? Well I have to look at the group, I mean I don't know what group you're talking about. You wouldn't want me to condemn a group that I know nothing about. I have to look, if you would send me a list of the groups, I will do research on them, and certainly I would disavow if I thought there was something wrong. The Ku Klux Klan. But you may have groups in there that are totally fine and it would be unfair, so give me a list of the groups and I'll let you know. Okay, I'm just talking about David Duke and the Ku Klux Klan here, but I don't know, honestly I don't know anything about him. I don't know David Duke. I don't believe I've ever met him. I'm pretty sure I didn't meet him. 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