Howard Fischer/Capitol Media Services

David Stringer.

Republican State Rep. David Stringer drew fire for statements he recently made after a lecture by an Arizona State University political history professor.

In audio obtained by Phoenix New Times, Stringer can be heard telling students that African immigrants to the U.S. “don’t blend in.”

"The difference between the Polish-American immigrant and the immigrant from Somalia is that the second-generation Polish immigrant looks like the Irish kid and the German kid and every other kid,” said Stringer. “But the immigrant from Somalia does not. It doesn't matter to you. Maybe that's a good thing. It seems to matter to a lot of people.”

Arizona House of Representative Speaker-elect Rusty Bowers, himself a Republican, asked Stringer Friday to resign as chair of the Sentencing Recidivism Reform Committee and Stringer agreed to step down.

“Rep. Stringer’s comments are vile and won’t be tolerated,” said Speaker-elect Bowers. “His remarks don’t reflect the sentiments of the Arizona Legislature, the constituents we represent, and the policies we enact. Given the diversity of my own family, I take personal offense to these disgusting comments. I gave Rep. Stringer a critical assignment as chair of the Sentencing and Recidivism Reform Committee. These comments render him incapable of performing his duties as chair. I asked Rep. Stringer to resign as chair of the committee, and he has agreed to do so.”

Stringer made national news this summer when a viral video captured him saying, “There aren’t enough white kids to go around," referring to public schools in Arizona.