So, whatever happened to “The Kissing Congressman?” He’s under arrest. This week, a judge issued an arrest warrant against ex-GOP Rep. Vance McAllister, who served half a term representing a northern Louisiana seat, for repeatedly failing to appear in court. Several banks sued McAllister earlier this year over debts they say he owes them. After a default judgment was entered against the former congressman in one case, the bank filed a motion to make him produce his financial records. McAllister skipped a hearing, and missed a following court appearance where he was supposed to say why he should not be found in contempt of court.
Four years ago, a much more cash-flush McAllister, who owned an oil company and several restaurant franchises, used his money to make it to the special election runoff with state Sen. Neil Riser, a fellow Republican. McAllister ran to the left of Riser, who had the support of the state GOP establishment, and called for expanding Medicaid. McAllister also had the support of the stars of the reality show Duck Dynasty, who hail from the Monroe area. In a huge upset, McAllister won 60-40, and he quickly attracted the attention of the national press, which gushed over the political neophyte and his first-ever trip to D.C.
But McAllister's meteoric rise was accompanied by a meteoric fall. In April of 2014, months into his term, footage from a security camera leaked that featured McAllister passionately making out with a staffer who was not his wife. Under pressure from then-House Majority Leader Eric Cantor, McAllister announced he would not run for re-election. However, after Cantor lost renomination, McAllister changed his mind.
But while McAllister ran an ad where his wife attested to his character, he took a distant fourth place in the jungle primary with just 11 percent of the vote. (Republican Ralph Abraham went on to win the seat.) McAllister did not take the hint and decided to challenge GOP state Sen. Mike Walsworth the next year, only to lose 62-38.