'Duck Dynasty'-Backed Congressman Says He Prays for Obama Every Day
Newly elected Rep. Vance McAllister (R-Swartz), heavily backed by outspoken Christian family the Robertsons of "Duck Dynasty," said he prays every day for President Barack Obama, and even though he recognizes that they have differences, he maintains that the president deserves the respect of the office that he holds.
"I pray for him every day and hope he makes the right decisions and has the right convictions, but I know his convictions are true to himself, they're just not true to what we believe," McAllister said in an interview, according to "The Fine Print."
"I'll never be one that you'll see tear down or say blasphemous stuff about our president because he deserves the respect of the office that he holds, but we can agree to disagree all the time."
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The 39-year-old businessman won the election last month for Louisiana's 5th Congressional District, beating out Republican state Sen. Neil Riser – without ever having run for public office before. McAllister credited his rise to prominence to his friends from the "Duck Dynasty," especially the endorsement of star Willie Robertson.
"I think it validated me a little bit more and gave people a little bit more, people that are already swayed to me. It just really just told them you know what, he must be a pretty good old boy if Fred and Willie and Jeb and Jason are all behind him," the congressman said, adding that he knew the family long before their reality show made them famous.
While McAllister did not elaborate much on the issues he disagrees with Obama, he pointed out that he wanted to improve the much-talked about Affordable Care Act rather than repeal it, which he said would be "unrealistic."
"Until we have the numbers in the Senate or a different president it's never going to be repealed," he said. "The way to move government forward is, you don't always get what you want, but you take the cards that you're dealt with and you play the best hand you got."
Willie Robertson, who is also the CEO of his family's duck-call business, endorsed the businessman in a video ad last month.
"Get out Saturday, November 16, and vote for my good buddy Vance McAllister. Let's send somebody from the 5th District who speaks for us to help turn Washington around," the "Duck Dynasty" star said.
Most recently, the Robertson family made an appearance at the 87th Annual Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade.
"It's been quite a year, the good Lord's been good to us, blessed us a bunch so we hope we can continue on the path we're on, staying positive and keeping it real and moving forward with our faith and family," Willie Robertson said, according to Fox News. "That's the recipe that's gotten us here so we're going to stick with that."
