US congressman caught kissing staffer won't seek re-election

Washington: Republican US Representative Vance McAllister of Louisiana, a married man who was caught on camera earlier this month passionately kissing a staffer, on Monday announced he will not seek re-election to a second term.

"There's no doubt I've made a mistake," McAllister said in a prepared statement, adding, "Today I am announcing that I will not seek re-election" in November.

McAllister, 40, is married with five children, and relatively new to Congress, having taken office last November after a special election to fill a vacant seat. He ran a campaign that emphasised conservative Christian values.

McAllister apologised earlier this month after a Louisiana newspaper posted a surveillance video showing him in a passionate embrace with his scheduler, Melissa Peacock, in his Louisiana office. Peacock has resigned.

The congressman, who said he will fill out his term through this year, had earlier rejected a number of calls from fellow Republicans to resign, including Louisiana Governor Piyush "Bobby" Jindal.

The staffer in question resigned shortly after the video was released.