CHICAGO (WLS) — A candidate for the soon-to-be-vacant 35th Ward aldermanic position is having to defend himself over an offensive social media post from years ago.

Cook County Commissioner Anthony Quezada spoke to some City Council members Friday to address their concerns.

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Quezada is on an apology tour over a social media post that has resurfaced.

“There was a Twitter exchange between me and some friends 11 years ago, when I was in high school. I was 18 years old. We use an inappropriate term to refer to each other and our friends, and I wholeheartedly regret that. There is no excuse for it,” Quezada said.

Quezada wants to replace 35th Ward Alderman Carlos Ramirez-Rosa, who the mayor has tapped to head the Chicago Park District.

Now, Quezada is having to explain the now-deleted tweet, in which he used a racial slur, to members of the City Council’s Black Caucus.

“Disheartening and extremely problematic,” said Ald. Stephanie Coleman, chair of the Chicago Aldermanic Black Caucus.

Coleman hosted a meeting Friday to allow a number of fellow alders to personally hear from Quezada.

“So, I commend him for having the courage to come before the largest and strongest caucus in the City Council. That takes a lot. It says a lot about his character as a man now, but certainly more action has to take place,” Coleman said.

Two years ago, Quezada publicly addressed the tweet when it first resurfaced.

“I asked him to send me how he addressed it, and the text that I saw or the post that I saw, he said, I regret saying it. He never apologized. He never said, ‘I’m sorry,'” 17th Ward Ald. David Moore said.

“It is not a reflection of my values and character even then. But it was a regrettable mistake, you know. It was insensitive,” Quezada said.

Alderman Chris Taliaferro’s 29th Ward is partially in Quezada’s District, and they regularly work together.

“I think as he, you know, is considered for this position, we need to consider the whole of the person, not just a small fragment of his life and a very small fragment of what he’s stood for,” Taliaferro said.

On Sunday, a local political organization will be hosting a meeting in the 35th Ward, during which candidates can make their case to the community. Quezada says he will be there, and he may have to address this controversy once again.