An Alabama congressman said everyone “has some type of racist in them” during a Wednesday night debate with his Republican opponent. 

Rep. Jerry Carl made the remarks during a GOP primary debate against fellow Rep. Barry Moore. Both lawmakers are vying to be the Republican nominee for a congressional seat in the state’s March 5 primary after Alabama’s congressional maps were redrawn. 

During the debate, the moderator asked both men if they agreed with GOP presidential candidate Nikki Haley, who said the United States has “never been a racist country” during an interview earlier this month with Fox News host Brian Kilmeade.

“So I think as a nation, we obviously have some issues, but the Civil Rights Movement and what Martin Luther King brought in our nation, the way we healed through that process is quite remarkable. Matter of fact, I think we’ve gotten to a point almost in this country that we didn’t see racism. And then Black Lives Matter and Antifa begin to divide us,” Moore said in his response.

“Race needs to be a thing of the past. Healing needs to be a thing of the future,” he added.

Louis Casiano is a reporter for Fox News Digital. Story tips can be sent to louis.casiano@fox.com.