President Trump said Monday that Mississippi Sen. Cindy Hyde-Smith “misspoke” and “felt very badly” after joking about attending a public hanging.
Trump defended the appointed Republican senator as he departed the White House for a campaign blitz to help save her seat amid outrage over the statement.
Hyde-Smith, who faces Democrat Mike Espy in a runoff election Tuesday, has said she meant to convey an exaggerated sense of endearment rather than allude to the state’s history of lynching African-Americans.
“If he invited me to a public hanging, I’d be on the front row,” she said during a Nov. 2 campaign stop in Tupelo, Miss., referring to a supporter.
Trump said Monday that he spoke with Hyde-Smith specifically about the remark.
“She felt very badly. She certainly didn’t mean that and it was taken a certain way, but she certainly didn’t mean — and as I understand it, she’s already apologized and very strongly,” Trump said on the South Lawn of the White House before departing to host two evening rallies on her behalf in Mississippi.
“I know she apologized. And she misspoke. But I will tell you. I’ve known her for a period of time now as a senator,” Trump said. “She’s been an excellent senator. She’s done a great job. She’s somebody that’s respected in the Senate.”
Hyde-Smith was appointed in April to retiring Sen. Thad Cochran’s seat. She had previously served as the state’s agriculture commissioner and from 2000 to 2012 as a state senator, the first ten years as a Democrat.
Espy is a former congressman and U.S. secretary of agriculture. In the first round of voting, Hyde-Smith won 41.5 percent, Espy was at 40.6 percent, and Republican state senator Chris McDaniels took 16.5 percent.
