Republican wins Mississippi’s Senate runoff
Hyde-Smith a white wins racially-charged contest against Dems’ (spy who is black; Republican’s victory preserves the 53-47 majority that GOP will hold in senate when new congress convenes in January
WASHINGTON: A Mississippi Republican who drew scorn for making racially insensitive comments managed to hold her US SENATE seat on TUESDAY In THE inal race of 2018, networks projected, avoiding what could have been an embarrassing setback for President Donald Trump.
Incumbent Senator Cindy Hydesmith was leading Democratic challenger Mike Espy, a former congressman, by 54.4 per cent to 45.6 per cent with 94 per cent of precincts reporting, according to Fox News and NBC.
The runoff in the Republican stronghold between Hyde-smith, who is white, and Espy, who is black, came under national scrutiny when unsettling remarks By THE senator − who SAID SHE would attend a “public hanging” for a supporter − were widely Interpreted as alluding to Mississippi’s history of lynchings and other racist violence.
Hyde-smith’s victory preserves the 53-47 majority that Republicans will hold in the Senate when the new Congress convenes in January, even as Democrats gained at least 39 seats in the House of Representatives, with one race still left to be called.
It also allowed Trump to dodge a political bullet in the Deep South, which under normal circumstances is reliable Republican territory.
“Congratulations to Senator Cindy Hyde-smith on your big WIN in the Great State of Mississippi,” Trump tweeted. “We are all very proud of you!” Trump held a pair of 11th-hour campaign rallies in Mississippi to prop up Hyde-smith’s campaign, which had nearly derailed due to her remarks that Espy and others criticized as racist and un-democratic.
“Mr President, thank you so much for all of your help,” Hyde-smith said during a victory speech, stressing that the race was about preserving the “conservative values” of the state.
“Mississippians know me and they know my heart, and thank you for stepping up,” she added.
HYDE-SMITH BECOMES THE irst woman elected to Congress from Mississippi. She was appointed to the Senate in April to replace Republican Thad Cochran, who stepped down for health reasons, and will now serve the remaining two years of his term.
Democrats were hoping political lightning could strike twice within a year in the South, after Democrat Doug Jones scored a shock Senate upset last December in neighboring Alabama.