Trump lawyer Rudy Giuliani’s love life is becoming a real thorn in Republican leadership’s side. He has thrown himself into a quiet Louisiana House race to support a fringe Republican challenger against the GOP establishment-approved incumbent—because his girlfriend told him to.

According to a Wednesday Politico report, Giuliani’s new girlfriend, Jennifer LeBlanc, is working on the campaign of Josh Guillory, an outside-shot challenger to 3rd District Rep. Clay Higgins, a staunch Trump acolyte who gained infamy from his viral and often offensive YouTube videos.

Giuliani’s support for the underdog has reportedly thoroughly irritated House leadership and the Louisiana GOP, all of whom expected Higgins to sail in a district that gives Trump a 64 percent approval rating.

“We have a National Enquirer-type situation going on down in Louisiana’s 3rd Congressional District,” state Attorney General Jeff Landry told Politico. He added that Giuliani’s involvement is “ridiculous.”

Party leaders are reportedly worried that Giuliani’s support could be read as indirectly giving Trump’s blessing to a candidate eschewed by the big names—House Speaker Paul Ryan (R-WI) and House Majority Whip Steve Scalise (R-LA) are already actively fundraising for Higgins. Per Politico, Scalise has called in the big guns, trying to establish Vice President Mike Pence as a Higgins supporter.

“I’m unfazed,” Higgins said in a statement to Politico. “My focus is on serving and continuing to deliver wins for Louisiana and America. I stand with President Trump and will continue to help him advance the conservative agenda in Congress.”



He added: “I’m not concerned with who Rudy Giuliani is dating.”