Vice presidential nominee Mike Pence visited his GOP allies on Capitol Hill on Tuesday, but quickly found himself in a debate over what's worse: Hillary Clinton's "deplorables" label or Donald Trump's support from white nationalist David Duke.
The argument is not likely to end well for either presidential candidate.
Clinton has potentially offended countless undecided voters after she lumped "half" of those backing Trump in a "basket of deplorables."
But team Trump is not pleased with having to spend another day trying to distance itself from the white nationalists eagerly supporting his campaign.
"I have no idea why this man keeps coming up," Pence told reporters when questions about Duke's support dogged him for a second day.
"Donald Trump and I have denounced David Duke repeatedly." Pence said. "We have said that we don't want his support and we do not want the support of people who think like him."
Pence, a former congressman, brings a mild-mannered affability to Trump's operation, a reminder of his political assets as a running mate to the blustery nominee.
Pence quickly pivoted to an attack on Clinton, saying her comments were so disdainful of Trump's supporters that they disqualify her from being president. He called on her to retract the comments and apologize.
"I've never heard a major-party candidate in the United States speak about the American people with such contempt," Pence said.
"Millions of Americans were shocked and saddened to see Hillary Clinton refer to people across this country as a 'basket of deplorables' in a prepared speech before wealthy donors."
As for Duke, the former Klansman now running for U.S. Senate in Louisiana, Pence has declined to say he's "deplorable." Pence said he's not one for name-calling.
"We live in a free country and people of ill motives can associate themselves with politics," he said.
Duke, however, has embraced the label, tweeting: "Of course I'm deplorable, according to the media."