Republican Hyde-Smith wins Mississippi runoff

Republican Sen. Cindy Hyde-Smith of Mississippi retained her seat Tuesday despite controversial remarks, beating Democratic challenger Mike Espy, an AfricanAmerican who was trying to make history in the runoff election.

With 91 percent of precincts reporting, HydeSmith had garnered 54.8% of the vote to Espy’s 45.2%, according to the Associated Press.

Espy was vying to become Mississippi’s first black senator since Reconstruction. Race had taken a front seat in the runoff after Hyde-Smith joked to a supporter that she’d “be on the front row” if invited to a public hanging. Espy had taken 40.6% of the vote in the first round and Hyde-Smith 41.5%.

The lead-in to the runoff was marked by its own controversy, as nooses were found near the state capitol the day before the election.