thank you. >> senator hyde-smith. sen. hyde-smith: thank you for watching and listening to the debate tonight and thank you, farm bureau, for putting this debate on. two other events will be coming up, the monday night before the election on november 26, the president of the united states is coming to mississippi to campaign on my behalf. we will start at 5:00, then at 8:00, we will be on the beautiful gulf coast. i encourage you to go online at donaldjtrump.com and get the free tickets. you will hear the clear differences between me and my opponent on the most important issues facing our country right now. throughout this campaign, i've always said it is not about me, it is about you and the people of mississippi. the things that are important to you, lower taxes, less regulation, supporting our military and veterans, protecting our unborn children, supporting our second amendment rights. that is what is going to be on the ballot next tuesday. tonight, you will hear from all of these issues from two clearly different opin

the first question to cindy hyde-smith. cindy, you said you had not cast a single vote that would allow insurers to discriminate against mississippians with pre-existing conditions, but in october, you voted against a resolution that would have prevented insurers from selling short-term junk plans that can do just that. did you know what you were voting for or the july? -- did you lie? sen. hyde-smith: absolutely i knew what i was voting for. that was not a single bill, that was a plan. i have never voted against anyone with pre-existing conditions to be excluded from a policy. go read the bill. it is clearly there. that is the brush i am being painted with right now. go read the bill. i have never voted for a bill that exclusively says pre-existing conditions are not part of that and never would. that is the reason i am a cosponsor right now with senator tom tillis to make sure that pre-existing conditions are covered. i have been like that my entire career, but like i said, i don't know anyone that does not have a pre-exi

question goes to senator hyde-smith. how long can mississippi farmers economically cope with tariffs? would there be a point where you would try to step in to protect farmers and maybe ask the president to reconsider? >> as commissioner of agriculture and commerce of this great state, i'm well aware of all of the challenges there. i have met with the president and i proudly support him in negotiating the straits. all the -- negotiating a fair trade. stepped up tohas negotiate a deal so that congress can have a fair trade, leveled the playing field, not the imbalance of every other country having a bigger advantage than we do. >> rebuttal? >> this is a wrongheaded policy by this administration. this is something i wrote about back in march. president tried to curry putting tax ony aluminum and steel without looking at the reported actions -- the repercussions on soybean fields. they are in trouble. we have to have soybeans in reserve because they cannot be sold. this is a wrongheaded policy. you have to have a senator who

runoff election with cindy hyde-smith. we will take you across town to jackson, mississippi to the westin hotel where senator elect sydn cindy hyde-smith is giving her remarks. sen. hyde-smith: thank you so much. this has been an unbelievable campaign. got above is the reason we are here and i am going to give him glory every single day for it. no doubt. [applause] sen. hyde-smith: i actually brought notes because this is so important. i don't want to miss anything. i want to cover everybody, everybody out here. first, i want to thank god for this opportunity. my wonderful family. you both deserve a round of applause right now. [applause] governor-smith: the and deborah have been so gracious. he has worked as hard as i have ever seen him work at anything to get me elected. he got into the capital today, make you the yoto united states senator. he's got you and me. we were successful tonight due to the hard work of the governor . the president -- mr. president, i know he's watching -- thank you so much for everything, for t

cindy hyde-smith.ake in tomorrow's election or your medicare benefits. that is a big deal. democrats want to raid medicare to find socialism. -- to fund socialism. it won't last long. republicans will protect medicare for our great seniors who have earned it, and by the way, who have paid for it, just in case we forget. and republicans will always protect americans with pre-existing conditions. democrats will also destroy your health care by inviting caravan after caravan after caravan of illegal aliens to violate our borders, overwhelming our communities, and bankrupting our treasury. you look at what is happening on our border and you see people coming up by the thousands. and frankly, if we didn't show them strength and a strong border, and nobody has shown a stronger border. if we didn't do that, you would have hundreds of thousands of people pouring into our country. we are doing a job, and we will continue to do a job. we are doing what is right. [applause] so the wall has started, very substanti

cindy hyde-smith will win this race. will say it's possible the margin will get a little bit closer as the final votes come in. why do i say that? you see a lot of gray here in the western part of the state. there's blue all around it. this is where mike espy's old congressional district was out here. democratic areas that have yet to report. but they're pretty small. you look down here, jefferson county, less than 1% of the state population. adams county, just over 1% of the state population, and so on as you look out here at these democratic counties. cindy hyde-smith by running it up in these red areas here. this is biloxi where president trump was on the eve of the runoff. neighboring counties here, 60%. so in places where the president visited -- he was also in tupelo last night. nearly 70%, more than two-thirds of the vote there. only half in. so cindy hyde-smith could get more votes here as well. it is a double-digit margin right now. in the end we know it will be a win for the republicans. there will be a lot of

cindy hyde-smith: i'm aware of the challenges there. i have met with the president and i support him in negotiating trade. all farmers want is a fair deal. i'm excited the president has stepped up three negotiate these deals so congress can have a fair trade and level the playing isld so we have the event and not other countries having a bigger advantage than us. >> rebuttal? cindy hyde-smith: ine espy: this is something an article in march. puttingident -- by terrorists -- tarrifs. i talked to soybean farmers in mississippi. soybeans and reserve because the price is too low. they have soybeans and reserve. think -- you have to have a senator who can see around the corner with division. -- with the vision. >> good evening. how can we balance the call for immigration reform and border security with the needs of farmers who rely on margaret workers as a sub -- migrant workers? mike espy: that is a good question. we have to have a strong immigration policy and secure borders for -- i do not like open borders. aspect is something that can h

hyde-smith in mississippi. go out and vote. that was his message. we turn to the mississippi daily journal's reporter who has been covering that race specific. the president was in mississippi yesterday making his pitch. what was the message he gave last night? guest: the message is the same thing we have heard from her campaign, which is she is the conservative on the ballot. she supports donald trump, and he wants to see her elected in a race that has tightened in ways >> with a short time span especially with the senate earlier this year upon retirement of that representativer and one of the quotes that i reported in my story published last night was a very special woman and in a short time she has made an impact and that is the message for the crowd to take away from when he rallied from her in october he did not even mention a race until the half hour mark he was talking about the supreme court nomination of brett kavanaugh but and starting with cindy hyde smith and then he moved on to immigration talking about that caravan and asylum-seekers a

he was in tupelo, tupelo where hyde-smith talked about going to a public hanging. mississippi's own william faulkner famously wrote "the past is never dead." it's not even past. today at the mississippi capitol, seven nooses were found hanging from trees, initially assumed to be a racist threat. it turned out the people who left the nooses intended them to be a reminder, a sign they left with the nooses read on tuesday, november 27, thousands of mississippians will vote for a senator. we need someone who respects the lives of lynch victims. we're hanging nooses to remind people that times haven't changed. have times changed enough that a black democrat might win a u.s. senate seat in mississippi? hold that thought. guess who is bulking up your morning with some meaty breakfast burritos? this guy. get my meat lovers with bacon, sausage, and ham. or grande sausage with creamy sriracha. because at jack in the box, whoops, we're all about bulking up breakfast. meaty, baby! try my meaty breakfast burritos. with ham, grilled sausage,th my and hickory-smoked bacon.rrito o

>> yeah, i think hyde-smith is going to win. i think she said some things that were not great and she didn't handle the apologies well. it strikes me that based on the general election results and based on the fact that i've not seen any evidence or public polling that tells me this race has tightened that it's more likely than not that a republican is going to win this election because it's a nationalized election and the people of mississippi like donald trump's agenda. they're more likely to send a senator to washington to support his agenda. so my presumption is this race is going to be less about what hyde-smith has not done well on the campaign trail and more about whether they're just going to continue to support the republican agenda and the trump agenda in washington. >> are you surprised, though, scott, in all honesty that you'd have a president of the united states openly supporting someone who has made those comments without any good explanation except for the obvious as to why she made them? >> no. i mean, he's a re

the democrat in the race mike espy focused not on the nooses, but on hyde-smith's words. >> they were harmful and hurtful, and they were -- they were -- they were hurtful to the people of mississippi of goodwill. >> reporter: mississippi voters say the controversy around hyde-smith's cements is on their mind. >> cindy hyde-smith i find to be objectionable and a relic of the old bad south. >> this political stuff is getting ridiculous. i know what she said. she did not mean it in a black or slave issue. it's not fair. >> okay, that was ed o'keefe reporting on the ground in mississippi. >>> we move now from mississippi to mars. this is the first picture today from nasa's insight lander. the speckious see there on the camera lens are dust from mars. the spacecraft made a flawless landing after a blazing plunge to the surface of mars. here is jamie yuccas. >> touchdown confirmed! [ cheering ] >> reporter: nasa engineers felt pure joy after waiting through seven minutes of nail biting terror. from new york's times square to the jet propulsion lab outside los angeles -- [ cheering ] -- peop

cindy hyde-smith and mike espy.ave any doubt whichever candidates win -- and this is a race either candidate could win. cindy hyde-smith has the advantage, but mike espy could win this race. i don't have any doubt that both of these candidates would work well with whites and blacks because they've done that throughout their long record of public service. i don't think -- >> craig, respectfully to henry, i just can't sit here and allow that statement to go across to cindy hyde-smith has a record of working with african americans when you look at the fact that multiple times she's been spotted promoting the confederacy on her facebook page. she's dog whistled about suppressing voters. she's dog whistled about evil things we've seen in mississippi's past. if i was a mississippian, a democrat or a republican, i don't want -- i'd want to turn a page. i don't want this representing my state. it's more important that the rest of the country views our state as one focussed on the future. >> it does seem as if your candidate

and hyde smith would back his agenda. >> from rr ery since from av party for your support. tomorrow, cindy hide smith. i need the great people of mississippi to sunday message to cry in maxine waters, the radical democrats, by electing cindy -- >> if hyde smith beats espy they

charles b johnson is under fire after making donations to mississippi senator cindy hyde- smith. her comments anne johnson's campaign contribution have led to calls for a boycott of the giants. larry baer released a statement yesterday saying the giants have more than 30 owners, just like our fans, they come from different backgrounds and have their own political views. christien kafton has a local reaction on this controversy that stretches from mississippi to the bay area. >> reporter: civil rights leaders in san francisco including reverend amos brown who grew up in mississippi called for a boycott of the san francisco giants saying the team co-owner charles johnson's donations to senate candidate cindy hyde-smith are unacceptable. >> for me, it takes me back to the horror and the that i experienced in my native state of mississippi. >> reporter: hyde-smith is faced firestorm of controversy after saying she wouldn't -- attend a public hanging. she also said she would support voter suppression saying she was joking. charles johnson, one of the corners of the giants and his wife

heavily rural areas, trump level support for hyde-smith there. you needed to have -- for the democrats you needed to have a dent in republican enthusiasm in support there. that part didn't happen. hyde-smith survives by eight. >> democrats need to look at that map and head over to those districts, steve, thank you so much. >>> up next, president trump

is currently in the midst of his second rally of the day in mississippi to get out the vote for hyde-smiththis one is in biloxi. this afternoon, was his first. he was in tupelo, tupelo where hide smith talked about going to a public hanging. mississippi's own william falkner famously wrote the past is never dead. it's not even past. today at the mississippi capitol, seven nooses were found hanging from trees, initially assumed to be a racist threat. it turned out the people who left the nooses intended them to be a reminder, a sign they left with the nooses read on tuesday, november 27, thousands of mississippians will vote for a senator. we need someone who respects the lives of lynch victims. we're hanging nooses to remind people that times haven't changed. have times changed enough that a black democrat might win a u.s. senate seat in mississippi? hold that thought. ♪ whoa! the mercedes-benz winter event is back and you won't want to stop for anything else. [ barks ] ho! lease the c 300 sport sedan for $399 a month at your local mercedes-benz dealer. mercedes-benz. the best or nothing.

mississippi and america need s cindy hyde-smith back in the united states senate. [applause] thank you all for coming out tonight. it's really great to be with you all. it is especially great to be here with a friend of mine. and a man who loves the state of mississippi, and the man that mississippi voted overwhelmingly to make the 45th president of the united states of america, president donald trump. [applause] president trump and i are proud to stand with cindy hyde-smith, because she stood with us. we know that senator cindy hyde-smith is going to continue to be a champion for mississippi and our agenda when you send her back to the united states senate. [applause] you know, when you think about the past two years, it's just amazing. i think there's only one way you can describe the last two years. it has been two years of action. it has been two years of results. under president donald trump, it has been two years of promises made and promises kept. [applause] mississippi and we are just getting started. [applause] think about it. think about it. under preside

cindy hyde-smith, 41.5% and mike espy, 40.6.according to senate polling numbers that we have gotten. i'll get you the source there shortly. the question is, when we look at president trump getting here tomorrow, will that swing it one way or the other? you heard the voter that was interviewed and said this is the old south. i'm not going to stand for it. i'm a republican. i'm not going to vote for the republican. >> sometimes the latest impression is the greatest impression. he has mixed record when it comes to supporting candidates who then do well at the voting booth or in terms of polls. with the race being so close, there's no doubt that his appearing there can swing it in one direction or another which is why i think that the out pouring of the democratic party there to make certain it mobilizes its own base would be wonderful if a nationally known democratic figure, an obama, kamala harris or senator booker might go down there at the last minute to match wits and presence with the president. i think if they can appeal to e

so what does cindy hyde-smith do?he elected donald trump to be the voice and face of her campaign. you see donald trump on her campaign bus. you see donald trump. so i think we have to be really clear about that fact. and i think this does come down to a geo tv effort. african-americans comprise 30% of the voting electorate in mississippi. this will be a challenge for mike espy. i'm not writing him off but he has an uphill battle. >> it's clear that cindy hyde-smith's team saw her numbers were impacted for the worse when she did that. >> i tried this trick with ex-boyfriends of mine where it's like, i'm not really sorry but i'm sorry that what i said offended you. >> she was reading from a card. >> very true. >> biden, warren, booker, delaney? only one of those democrats is officially running for president. he joins me next. >>> welcome back to kasie dc. hoping for some down time between the midterms and 2020 presidential race? no such luck there. especially if you live in iowa where presidential campaigns are already

so, cindy hyde-smith's comments.duals say she maybe didn't intend to have them be so distasteful or have that conentation to them. at the same time, it's still very raw. this is a place that donald trump won by 18 percentage points and the question is, how many republicans are ultimately mike espy going to be able to poll off. a new tv ad released today and on the air waves here in mississippi from the espy campaign. >> we worked hard to overcome the stereotypes that hurt our econo economy. cindy hyde-smith so embarrass g embarrassing. >> a lot of the comparisons we have been making in this race is to what extent are we seeing here in mississippi what we saw with doug jones, the democrat in alabama one year ago. i have to be frank with you at this point,an anecdotally over e last week a lot of republican voters in the state that we talked to that said they found cindy hyde-smith's comments inappropriate and ultimately when it comes down to it, they have every intention to vote for her because she is the conservative

he was scheduled to call cindy hyde-smith. with the race called sooner than his campaign was expecting, over at the espy headquarters about five minutes away, they turned off the projector screens. he went ahead and called cindy hyde-smith. she and her family will come down any minute here. it was unclear exactly what kind of numbers they might have had when she became the first person, the first candidate to ever get president trump to come and campaign twice in one day for her but her campaign was sitting back there looking at projections based on trends and turnouts they saw. special elections are lot harder to predict turnout than a general election. things unfolded almost exactly like they thought. an early night here in mississippi where mike espy, he was trying to become the first african-american elected since reconstruction has lost to cindy hyde-smith who will become the first woman ever elected senator out of mississippi. >> laura: what they also did, they worked overtime to do this, they were trying to make this ou

yes, cindy hyde-smith was a lwa ys imagining. hyde-smith was always the favourite to win this senate seat. her campaign was briefly derailed by those comments she made, in which she said that she would turn up at a public hanging and sit in the front row if she was invited by a supporter. that caused a lot of controversy here in mississippi, not because it dredged up mississippi, not because it dredged up the past of racially motivated lynchings that took place in this state. it also made it a much more competitive battle. however, she has ove i’co m e competitive battle. however, she has overcome that and she has, according to the opinion polls and the results, really managed to make it a decisive victory here. this will be regarded as a win notjust for her, but also for donald trump, who came on the eve of the election and held two rallies in support of nikkei —— cindy hyde—smith. he also tweeted that this is a big win, it is big for him because it extends his majority inside the us senate, it means that he has 53 of the 100 se

the contest was heated in particular by hyde-smith's comment about attending a public hanging. tom hanson reports. >> the reason we won is because mississippians know me and they know my heart. >> reporter: mississippi republican cindy hyde-smith addressed a full house last night thanking the president for her victory over democrat challenger mike espy. arunoff senate race, it caught national attention. >> right now, mr. president, thank you so much for all of your help. >> reporter: president trump paid a visit to mississippi monday to rally support for hyde-smith whose victory makes her the first female senator in the state's history. espy called erthat she goes to washington to unite a very divided mississippi. >> reporter: the race narrowed in the historically red state after a controversial comment hyde-smith made about a public hanging which didn't sit well in a state with a history of racially motivated lynchings. >> you know, we can apologize for. we're going to go on and move forward. >> reporter: she was temporarily hold the seat after the republican senator stepped d

president trump endorsed hyde-smith and visited the state for two rallies. >> mr. president, i just talked to him so i know he's watching, thank you so much for everything, for the opportunities, for coming to mississippi yesterday. >> hyde-smith becomes the first woman elected to the senate from mississippi. the closing weeks of the campaign focused on controversial comments she made about a public hanging and voter suppression. espy, a former congressman and u.s. agriculture secretary was hoping to become the state's first african-american senator in more than a hundred years. >> a minute ago did i call senator cindy hyde-smith and i -- no, no -- and i congratulated her on her victory tonight. she has my prayers as she goes to washington to unite a very divided mississippi. >> with hyde-smith's victory, republicans control 53 of the senate's 100 seats. >>> the chinese scientist who claimed he helped make the first genome edited babies made his first comment since the outcry about his work. he spoke at a human genome conference in hong kong overnight. he said that

mike espy, and republican senator cindy hyde-smith faced off.he two sparring over health care, president trump and race with hyde-smith joked about attending public hangings. >> for anyone that was offended by my comments, i certainly apologize. there was no ill will, no intent what so ever in my statements. i also recognize that this comment was twisted and it was turned into a weapon to be used against me. a political weapon. >> no one twisted your comments because your comments were -- it came out of your mouth. it's given our state another black eye that we don't need. >> in mississippi the jackson free press reports that hyde-smith demanded audience and no outside press at that debate. give us the state of the race now. what is the reaction on the ground there in mississippi just days away from this potentially historic vote? >> reporter: good morning. we focus on those comments from hyde-smith about the public hanging because when you talk to the voters about the state over the last couple of days, that's the issue that's come up and in th

cindy-hyde smith/ (r) mississippi"so i think that's a great idea."she offered a partial apology for the public hanging remark.sen. cindy-hyde smith/ (r) mississippi"or anyone that was offended by my comments, i certainly apologize."but quickly added... sen. cindy-hyde smith/ (r) mississippi"i also recognize that this comment was twisted and it was a turned into a weapon to be used against me." it hasn't gone over well in a state that has a history of both.espy today: "someone told me that comment was the gift that keeps on giving." especially when her democratic opponent mike espy is african american.her opponent is using all this to his advantage in television ads.(nats) "so embarrassing she would be an embarrassment for mississippi." companies including walmart and major league baseball have requested refunds for their contributions to the hyde- smith campaign - a move espy suggests says she's bad for business.if he wins, espy would become mississippi's first african american senator since the end of the civil war. mike espy/ (d) senate candidate m

>> senator hyde-smith has not done well for herself. she had to stage manage this debate where she didn't have anybody in the room and it didn't get very much coverage. she is really saying trump trump trum state he won by a couple of dozen points and do her a lot of good. look. in her closing statements, she has made reference more to trump almost than to herself and her own record, that's how tightly tied she is to the president. she clearly thinks it's a strategy that is going to bring her across the finish line on tuesday. >> and the thing is, kelly jeanne, when we look at mike espy, this is a moderate democrat. he is physically conservative as i understand it. what are his chances and does it come down to him voter turnout? >> yeah. a good question. errol is right about how much cindy hyde-smith is tying herself to trump. you'll notice we don't see a lot of clips of her talking to the media. her campaign actually seals to be keeping her away from media. i suspect they are worried she might have another slip of the tongue as they mi

during a review of hyde-smith's legislative history, cnn's k-file found then state senator hyde-smithre promoting a confederate soldier's right to defend his homeland. a 2014 facebook post surfaced showing hyde-smith touring a museum of confederate artifacts and calling it, quote, mississippi history at its best. the "washington post" reported that in 2001 -- again as a state senator -- hyde-smith introduced a bill to rename a stretch of state highway to its name from the 1930s. the jefferson davis memorial highway honoring the president of the confederacy. and the jackson free press reported last week hyde-smith attended a private school founded in 1970 so white parents could avoid sending their children to integrated schools and sent her daughter to a similar school. while hyde-smith remains the favorite to win on tuesday, republicans aren't taking any chances with president trump headlining two rallies for her on monday. >> send cindy hyde-smith back to the united states senate so we can make america great again. >> jessica, the president holding two rallies where you are tonight.

republican cindy hyde-smith under fire during last night's debate, apologizing to, quote, anyone who was offended, when she made a remark some called racist about a public hanging. that apology doing little to silence critics, including some of her biggest donors. here's abc's mary bruce. >> reporter: with days to go before the special election in mississippi, republican senator cindy hyde-smith is now expressing some regret after a string of racially charged controversies. the latest, these pictures from 2014. hyde-smith in a confederate cap posing in the home and library of confederate president jefferson davis. her caption, "mississippi history at its best!" and earlier this month, hyde-smith was caught joking with a supporter about public hangings. >> if he invited me to a public hanging, i'd be on the front row. >> reporter: initially, she dug in, saying in a statement, "any attempt to turn this into a negative connotation is ridiculous." >> senator, are you familiar with mississippi's history of lynchings? >> i put out a statement yesterday and that's all i'm going to say about

hyde-smith has apologized, but the polls have tightened. during his rally tonight, president trump showed his support for hyde-smith. >> tomorrow, we need the people of mississippi to go t the polls and elect cindy hyde-smith so that we can continue doing what we're doing, which is, frankly, unprecedented. if we win tomorrow, weo 53-47 and nobody can believe it. >> since hyde-smith's hanging comments, at least seven have been found hanging in trees outside the state capitol. they were found along with handwritten signs, saying that hyde-smith's apology was not sincere enough. mississippi's governor saying the perpetrators of the act will be identified and prosecuted. doreen, back to you. >> leon, thank you. >>> now to the crisis at the border, where u.s. customsfi als say they've now arrested nearly 70igrants trying to cross into the u.s. illegally. it comes as the president defended the show of forceu.y s. agents who fired tear gas into a crowd this weekend. that croncluded some who were throwing rocks at agents, and also crying children.

and let's learn more about cindy hyde smith.starting her second year as a mississippi state senator and she arrived at the state capitol in jackson in 2001 to file her earliest pieces of legislation which is senate bill 2604 and she proposed it would have renamed a stretch of the highway to the title it had been in the 1930s. jefferson davis memorial highway. the bill died in committee. here is mike espy's ad in which he is responding to all of this confluence of information about cindy hyde smith including joking about denying the people the right to vote and thinking that was funny. take a listen. >> how embarrassing is cindy hyde smith. walmart said her recent comments clearly do not reflect the values of our company. now at&t, union pacific and other fortune 500 companies, company after company has rejected her divisive words. we've worked hard to over come the stereo types that hurt our economy and cost us jobs. her words should not reflect mississippi's values either. cindy hyde smith so embarrassing she'd be a disaster fo

does hyde-smith need to do more? so far refused to clarify what she's apologizing about or what she's sorry for. is that enough to you? >> look, we're the party of lincoln, the republican party. that's a great history. and we have a troubled history in mississippi, and everybody's familiar with that. and my view is it was a bad statement. i don't doubt she had no ill intent in her statement but she should have apologized immediately and she should have apologized certainly more strongly, in my opinion. that -- >> go ahead. >> go ahead, hallie. >> i was going to ask do you think those comments could end up costing her her seat? >> well, it has -- it certainly energized african-american voters in mississippi, and i think it's not been helpful. but i think at the end of the day, there's a clear choice in this raise for voters who want somebody who's going to vote with nancy pelosi and the democrats, they have mike espy at their best choice. if people want to have somebody that is going to he vote with donald trump, they

and remember who he is backing in cindy hyde-smith.ber what she said in that  election when she refused to apologize for specifically. the fool that he backed in virginia. what he did with roy moore in alabama. this is a president who hasn't shied away from supporting people who support causes that are way too akin to bigotry that we've ever seen with a republican in the modern era, a president back them. was it just us versus them of politics, or was it something else? let's bring in d. lemon. what did you hear in terms of the reference to mike espy, by the way, born in mississippi, family successful there, served in congress there? certainly he fits into the state. >> i didn't hear anything. come on, chris! are you kidding me? we got to stop pretending like, oh, no, they didn't -- that's exactly what he meant. what's worse? that he didn't know what he was saying or that he did? i think they're equally as damaging. the fact that you can say it and you know it's a dog whistle, if it is, or it could just be a loud cry, or you're just i

republicans are rooting for incumbant cindy hyde- smith... hope mike espy takes over this highly contested sete seat. originally, it was thought senator hyde-smith was shoe in... until her character came in question. pictures of her posing with confederate memorabilia a the emergence of this video of her telling supporters she'd attend a public hanging,sen. cindy hyde-smith / -r- mississippi: "anyone that was offended by my comments i certainly apologize." if he wins, espy would be the state's first black senator since reconstruction.mike espy / -d- mississippi senate candidate: "if i'm lucky and blessed and privileged enough to be elected tonight i think it's going to represent a sea change." president trump, not afraid of controversy... has been very supportive of hyde-smith... not wanting to lose that republican seat in the senate. we'll have the results of this race later tonight. (grant) another big story another big story tonight... following the state's deadliest and most destructive wildfire... lawmakers are taking a closer look at th

he is here to cam pine behalf of senator cindy hyde smith. this race has grown competitive after the remarks at having a front row seat at a hanging energized african-americans and democrats. they make up a large percentage of the voter registration, there 33 to 36% of voters. those comments possibly turned off some republican supporters. that's why people believe this race is close. it's also why they hope that the star power of the president's appearance will carry hyde smith over the finish line. there was another factor. the thanksgiving holiday. both campaigns came to a shuttering halt. there was no on the street campaigning in observance of the holiday. friday, saturday, sunday, they have to get going and they are only finish on the other sides getting in gear. it comes down to turn out. as simple as that. who shows up to vote and who stays home will determine who wins. brianna ? >> thank you so much in jackson. moments ago we saw former trump campaign adviser george papadopoulos enter the doors in oxford, wisconsin. he embraced his wif

certainly if you look at the polls, indications are that cindy hyde-smith is far ahead. but it is the difficulty of working out just how these comments will play. talking to people at polling stations this morninere are many who have been motivated by it. certainly there are democrats re is a chance, that these controversial comments could put some of her vote in doubt. at the same time, president trump has been here, hol rallies in the state, all toth also suggests -- also trsuggests that he ing to get his base support out, too, and that is having something of an impact as well. there were queues outside polling stations this money. -- this morning. it seems to have gone prettyle steady as peontinue to vote here. e ne: has this election become all about race or ere other factors? chris: there are always other uctors, and certainly if listen to cindy hyde-smith during those rallies, she was talking about the conservative values that e believes republicans here hold very dear and very important in their hearts. nonetheless, you get this real sense that race is overs this.

. >> hyde smith was a housw her c campaign contribution have led to cause of a boycott of the giants. the teams president and ceo tried to defuse the situation with a statement sa have more t to. just like our fans they come from different backgrounds and have their own political views. we have more on tonight controversy.>> reporter: civil rights leaders in san francisco including amos brown who grew up in san francisco are calling for a boycott of the san francisco giants, saying that the team owners donations to cindy hyde smith are unacceptable. >> for me, it takes me back to the horror in the that i experienced in my native state of mississippi. >> reporter: hyde smith has faced controversy after saying she would attend a public hanging in a state with a history of lynching. she also said she would support voter suppression, later saying she was joking. charles johnson, a co-owner and his wife donated $2700 to her campaign after she made her controversial statements. >> i am calling for an all out boycott. >> reporter: civil rights attorney john burris, a self- proclaimed lifelon

hyde-smith and democrat challenger mike espy. president trump held two rallies in her state yesterday. ronna mcdaniel joined us earlier. >> the president's approval is incredibly high in mississippi. he won that state by double digits and he is the best closer in the country and bringing him in and going to both parts of the mississippi tupelo and biloxi will help energize the turnout for cindy hyde-smith today. >> sandra: jonathan is live in mississippi. >> turnout at this polling site has been heavy all morning. a cold day and following the holiday weekend. mike espy the democrat cast his ballot at this church just outside of jackson as a democrat running in a red state. he is no washington liberal. he enjoys strong support by african-american voters, but he will need more than 20% of the

at this time cindy hyde-smith has a lead over mike espy. victory by hyde-smith would expand the gop lead in the senate 53-47. we're going to have a live report from the ground as soon as we get the final cha. >>> also between the mueller investigation and ongoing crisis at the border, my angle is going to explain why the president must pick a new attorney general -- like yesterday to quote one of my favorite senators. plus "the ingraham angle" will take you behind the caravan headline for a shocking investigation into the tens of thousands of migrant teens currently being housed inside our country and the astronomical cost associated with their care. you are paying for it, my friends. it is becoming a tradition. the criticism of melania trump's christmas decorations. they did it last year. this year the critics are back. they have nothing better to do than to go after melania trump. first two targets of the mueller probe. earlier today "the daily caller" reported of an earlier copy of a book written by jerome corsi. he testified that just o

. >> reporter: president trump threw his weight behind republican senator cindy hyde- smith today inelo, hoping to add to the republican majority in the senate. >> cindy is so important, so respected, we got to send her back. >> reporter: but hyde-smith is under fire for racially-charged comments recently caught on camera. >> your comments offended a great number of people, cindy. eo we already have-- >> reporter: no you haven't. video from earlier this month shows her alongside a supporter joking that if he ever invited her to attend a public hanging, sie'd sit in the front row. >> for anyone that was offended by my comments, i certainly apologize. >> reporter: a photo also surfaced from 2014, showing hyde-smith wearing a confederate army soldier's hat. race has always been factor in mississippi politics, but today another reminder of the state's sioubled past. two nooses were found on trees at the state capitol in jackson, hung by critics of senator hyde- smith. the democrat in the race, mike rpy, focused-- not on the nooses-- but on hyde-smith's words. >> they were harmful and hur

he said he does not and did not know hyde-smith and if he'd known about a racially charged statement, he would never have donated to her but so far, has not asked for the donation to be returned. >> if he said for a moment she was a racist, he would never have given it. if it's possible the electorate was -- if it's possible he'd get a check back and she was a racist, he'd get that check back. >> reporter: some giants fans like deborah king says they understand calls for a boycott, even if they's -- even if they're not on board. >> i understand how people should say, oh, we should boycott. and i'm a heavy-duty, big time fan. it will not sway me one way or the other. >> reporter: giants president larry baer released a statement today regarding the issue saying in part, in no way is the giants organization concerning any racist language or behavior by anyone. neither i, nor anyone else in the giants can control who any of our owners support politically, just as we cannot and should not control who many of our employees support politically. some civil rights leaders are saying that askin

. >> cindy hyde smith. why?cause she is a conservative republican. >> do you think that smith hyde wins tuesday. >> tuesday. >> the runoff. and you are votinging for? >> mike espy. >> and what makes tuesday voting different than in elections in the past? >> we need a change. >> and vaughan hillyard with the mississippi voters with who are sounding off before a closely watched election and to determine the pow ore of balance in the senate. we know that the republicans will retain the majority but how much. and the democrats are sending in the political heavyweights in hopes of ousting cindy hyde smith who has grabbed head loli with racially-charged remarks, but mike espy who is a former agriculture secretary in the clinton white house is facing a bid as becoming the first african-american to represent mississippi in the senate since the reconstruction and more than three decades. joining us is vaughan hillyard where the two candidateses are going to be debating tonight. and vaughan, tell me about the walmart disp

it will put cindy hyde-smith over the top.ot a close eat and if you look at the records of the two individuals before us, cindy hyde-smith voted on changing the funding for the opioid crisis, she voted on tax cuts for mississippi, and versus my guest who had $750,000 lobbying from the ivory coast from the international criminal court on crimes against humanity. >> sandra: generally speaking, is there concern within your party? >> we are concerned about every single senate seat. we do not take a single one for granted. we regret we lost in arizona, but we picked up in missouri, we picked up elsewhere. we now have a 53 majority if we hold it. we not concerned about losing this, but we are going all in. that is why the president is going there the day before the election. >> sandra: jennifer, give us your take on this and what is expected. is it realistic to think i democrat could win? >> yes, it is realistic. i think her comment was absolutely appalling and i think you are seeing a lot of folks agree with me on that. you have co

simple cisco giants, saying owner charles johnson's donations to mississippi senate candidate cindy hyde smith are unacceptable. >> it takes me back to the horror in experienced in my nat of mississippi. >> reporter: heidi smith has faced controversy after saying she would attend a public hanging in a state with a graham history of lynchings. she also said she was support voter prince -- suppression, later saying she was joking. >> carl johnson and his wife donated money to her campaign after she made those statements. >> i am calling for an all-out boycott period.>> reporter: john burris, a self proclaimed lifelong giants fan says he cannot support the team as long as the owner supports hyde smith. >> i will personally boycott the giants for its long as i am able to because that is a value system of a person of the person who runs the system that i do not support. >> for anyone to say he has a racist bone in him is to say that barry bonds is a braces as well. >> reporter: an attorney who is representing johnson for a number of for decades says he does not and did not know hyde smith and if he

cindy hyde-smith shown as holding a ten point lead.p doing his part to help hyde-smith. he's holding two rallies. tonight in mississippi. peter, this is federal elections that never end of 2018 edition. >> reporter: they're almost over, dana. remember, this is a runoff, not a recount. so both candidates are going around reminding mississippi voters that whether they cast ballots three weeks ago or not, they have another bite at the apple tomorrow. mike espy is out and about glad handing with voters today and fielding questions about recently unearthed and controversial comments made by senator cindy hyde-smith including a joke about discouraging people from voting and public hanging. >> her comments on the public hangi hanging, they were harmful and hurtful. they were hurtful to the millions of people in mississippi of goodwill who just hear what that means and they can sense that it's a throw back to an era that we're not going back to. >> reporter: those comments have become a center piece of this campaign and out of state corporate

hyde-smith demanded no audience and no press be present.the debate be organized by the mississippi farm bureau federation whose top members have all donated to hyde-smith. but the note pads candidates were supposed to use to take notes during the debate. hyde-smith's campaign demanded access to their note pad an hour early and they appeared to use it for a cheat sheet: check out these huge pile of notes in front of hyde smith. she repeatedly looked down at her notes throughout the debate though at times it didn't seem to help too much. >> tonight you have heard two clearly different, opposite, differences between me and my opponent. >> she also relied on her notes in making a stilted non-apology for the public hanging comment. >> you know, for anyone that was offended for my -- by my comments, i certainly apologize. there was no ill will, no intent whatsoever in my statements. >> mike espy, the democrat, an african-american, said the damage had been done. >> i don't know what's in your heart, but we all know what came out of your mouth and