Republican congressional candidate Blake Miguez, who denies a rape accusation from 2007, is hoping to again earn Donald Trump's endorsement as he decides which district to run in after a Supreme Court decision prompted redistricting.
Redistricting and Endorsement Uncertainty
Miguez, a Louisiana state senator, is weighing a run in one of two districts where he does not live but is allowed to run. He had secured Trump's endorsement under the previous congressional map before the Supreme Court's Callais v Louisiana decision led to redrawn lines.
A spokesperson for Miguez said: 'Blake was honored to have President Trump's endorsement for [an] old … congressional district that no longer exists' after Callais, 'and [he] hopes to earn it again after he announces a campaign under the new district lines.'
A White House spokesperson clarified that Trump did not formally rescind his endorsement but added the president 'will look at the candidate field after candidate [qualifying] if necessary.' The spokesperson said: 'At this point, [Trump] has not made any changes nor does he have an intent to. If new information changes things, we will cross that bridge when we get to it.'
Rape Allegation Details
An Atlantic report revealed that Miguez had not disclosed to Trump's team a 2007 rape accusation reported to local law enforcement. The police report, independently obtained by the Guardian, never resulted in charges, and Miguez categorically denied the claim as false. The Atlantic reported that the allegation raised concerns within the White House that Miguez 'either wasn't fully vetted or wasn't forthcoming about discoverable documents from his past' while pursuing Trump's endorsement.
In response, Miguez's campaign linked to a Louisiana news article quoting the accuser's family members who questioned her credibility, citing mental health and substance abuse problems. The campaign also circulated an email attributed to her father that read in part: 'Everything my daughter has reported about you were lies and she is a liar and has a drug problem.' The Guardian offered the accuser an opportunity to respond, but she did not reply.
Political Reactions
Lionel Rainey, a spokesperson for a PAC supporting rival candidate Rick Edmonds, called it 'silly' to blame redistricting for uncertainty over Trump's endorsement, saying 'Nobody believes that.'
Miguez won election to Louisiana's state senate in 2023 after over eight years in the state house. He originally signed up to contest the seat vacated by Julia Letlow, who ran for US Senate with Trump's backing. Trump endorsed Miguez in February as a 'warrior' of the MAGA movement. Under the new map, Miguez's home in Erath remains outside the fifth district, which is in the third district represented by Republican Clay Higgins. The new sixth district includes Baton Rouge, and its incumbent Democrat Cleo Fields announced he will not seek re-election under the altered boundaries.
Miguez's campaign declined to say which district he may target when qualifying opens on 5 August. US House candidates are not required to live in the district they run in, only in the same state.
