As Donald Trump tries to improve his standing with African-Americans and other minority voters, his running mate said Sunday the campaign doesn’t want support from white nationalists.

“We don’t want the support of people who think like David Duke,” vice presidential nominee Mike Pence said about the former Ku Klux Klan wizard, whose Louisiana campaign for the U.S. Senate has been emboldened by Trump.

The comments on CNN come after a tough week for Trump who hired a new campaign executive, Stephen Bannon, the former Breitbart News chief associated with elements of the alt-right movement.

Advertisement

A new poll Sunday showed the Republican ticket still capturing just 5 percent of the black vote despite Trump’s attempts to court minorities last week.

“Trump’s outreach to African American voters appears to be falling flat among that demographic,” the Morning Consult report said.

Republican National Committee Chairman Reince Preibus said he didn’t know Bannon, but was becoming acquainted with him.

“I go with the flow based on what the campaign wants to do,” Preibus said on NBC’s “Meet the Press” Sunday. “I don’t know Steve Bannon, to tell you the truth, very well.”

Last week, a decades old domestic violence case against Bannon brought more unwanted attention to the campaign, stemming from a 911 call involving his now ex-wife at their Santa Monica, Calif., home.

Misdemeanor charges against him were later dropped.

___

Advertisement*

(c) 2016 Tribune Co.

Visit Tribune Co. at www.latimes.com

Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.

Advertisement