Rep. Vance McAllister -- the married congressman who promised to step down at the end of his term after he was caught kissing a married aide -- has decided to run for re-election.
The Louisiana Republican announced his decision in a statement on Monday morning, just two months after saying he’d step down after serving out the remainder of his term—and after Majority Leader Eric Cantor and Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal called for his resignation.
"Today, after consulting with my wife and family, I have made a decision to run for re-election for the 5th Congressional District. Without a doubt this decision comes after much thought and prayer,” he said in a statement.
Louisiana's 5th district is home to the hit show Duck Dynasty, and the family endorsed McAllister during his 2013 special election. This time, however, the nephew of star Phil Robertson is also running for McAllister's seat. The two will face-off on Nov. 4th.
“This district has been home to me and my family all of my life. I know the needs of this congressional district very well. I also know that this district needs a strong, conservative voice in Congress,” he continued. “I plan to continue to stand up for our veterans, bring common sense solutions to our nation's problems and most importantly I will fight to get our fiscal house back in order."
In April, McAllister was caught on a surveillance camera kissing married aide Melissa Peacock; the video was released to a Louisiana newspaper. His extramarital activities earned him the title the “kissing congressman."