GOP Senator Says Voter Suppression Is A 'Great Idea' | HuffPost Latest News

Sen. Cindy Hyde-Smith (R-Miss.) appeared to endorse voter suppression during a campaign stop this month, saying efforts to undermine voting among liberals at certain colleges would be a great idea.

And then they remind me that theres a lot of liberal folks in those other schools who maybe we dont want to vote, Hyde-Smith can be heard telling a small crowd of young people outside her campaign bus in a video taken Nov. 3 and posted on online Thursday. Maybe we want to make it just a little more difficult. And I think thats a great idea.

Hyde-Smith, who was appointed to the Senate in April following the retirement of Thad Cochran, faces Democrat Mike Espy in a Nov. 27 runoff election. The Trump-backed Republican also came under fire last weekend for apparent racist remarks, joking with a crowd about attending a public hanging .

Campaign spokeswoman Melissa Scallan insisted Hyde-Smith was joking as she talked with students in Starkville, Mississippi, and claimed the video had been edited.

Its ok to still have a sense of humor in America isnt it? Hyde-Smith tweeted after the video circulated. These students enjoyed a laugh with Cindy despite out of state social media posts trying to mislead Mississippians.

Cindy Hyde-Smith on voter suppression: \"And then they remind me, that there's a lot of liberal folks in those other schools who that maybe we don't want to vote. Maybe we want to make it just a little more difficult. And I think that's a great idea.\" Nov 2nd in Columbus, MS. pic.twitter.com/OxNY77XCft

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Cindy Hyde-Smith on voter suppression: "And then they remind me, that there's a lot of liberal folks in those other schools who that maybe we don't want to vote. Maybe we want to make it just a little more difficult. And I think that's a great idea." Nov 2nd in Columbus, MS. pic.twitter.com/OxNY77XCft
Lamar White, Jr. (@LamarWhiteJr) November 15, 2018

Its unclear which other schools Hyde-Smith referred to in the video. There are several historically black colleges and universities in the state.

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For a state like Mississippi, where voting rights were obtained through sweat and blood, everyone should appreciate that this is not a laughing matter , Espy spokesman Danny Blanton said of Hyde-Smiths remarks. Mississippians deserve a senator who represents our best qualities, not a walking stereotype who embarrasses our state.