Former Ku Klux Klan leader David Duke, an avowed white supremacist,
officially signed up Friday to run for U.S. Senate in Louisiana, saying
"the climate of this country has moved in my direction."

"I believe my time has come," Duke said after submitting his paperwork
for the ballot. He added: "The people of this country, the patriotic,
decent, God-fearing people of this country are now right with me."

Duke's candidacy comes one day after Donald Trump accepted the GOP
nomination for president, and Duke said he's espoused principles for
years that are similar to the themes Republicans are now supporting in
Trump's campaign, on issues such as immigration and trade.

He said the majority of Americans are "embracing the core issues I have
fought for my entire life."

The launch of Duke's campaign also comes as the state is grappling with
deep racial tensions after the shooting death of a black man by white
police officers and the killing of three law enforcement officers by a
black man. Duke said he was "shattered" by the slayings of police and
said they were "one of the things that tipped me to going for this race."

In a lengthy speech, Duke talked of the "massive racial discrimination
going on right now against European Americans," and what he called a
biased media working against him. He described the Black Lives Matter
movement as a "terrorist organization."

He said his slogan remains "America first."

A registered Republican, Duke is seeking an open seat vacated by
Republican David Vitter.