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| Republican wins Mississippi Senate vote marked by race row | Republican wins Mississippi Senate vote marked by race row |
| (about 3 hours later) | |
| Republican Cindy Hyde-Smith has won Mississippi's racially charged Senate election, beating a challenge from the black Democrat, Mike Espy. | Republican Cindy Hyde-Smith has won Mississippi's racially charged Senate election, beating a challenge from the black Democrat, Mike Espy. |
| It extends the Senate majority of President Donald Trump's party 53 for Republicans and 47 for Democrats. | |
| The race narrowed after Ms Hyde-Smith, who is white, was recorded saying she would happily attend a public hanging. | The race narrowed after Ms Hyde-Smith, who is white, was recorded saying she would happily attend a public hanging. |
| The comments evoked the lynching of African-Americans in a state scarred by a history of racial violence. | The comments evoked the lynching of African-Americans in a state scarred by a history of racial violence. |
| With nearly all votes counted, Ms Hyde-Smith had taken 53.9% of the vote in the staunchly Republican state compared to 46.1% for Mr Espy. | With nearly all votes counted, Ms Hyde-Smith had taken 53.9% of the vote in the staunchly Republican state compared to 46.1% for Mr Espy. |
| This victory has made her the first ever US congresswoman to be elected from Mississippi. | This victory has made her the first ever US congresswoman to be elected from Mississippi. |
| President Trump tweeted his congratulations. | President Trump tweeted his congratulations. |
| In a statement, Ms Hyde-Smith said: "I want everybody to know, no matter who you voted for today, I am going to represent every Mississippian." | In a statement, Ms Hyde-Smith said: "I want everybody to know, no matter who you voted for today, I am going to represent every Mississippian." |
| Conceding to his opponent, Mr Espy tweeted that he was "proud of the historic campaign we ran and grateful for the support". | Conceding to his opponent, Mr Espy tweeted that he was "proud of the historic campaign we ran and grateful for the support". |
| The run-off election campaign had dredged up aspects of the Deep South state's ugly past. | The run-off election campaign had dredged up aspects of the Deep South state's ugly past. |
| On Monday, several nooses were found at the Mississippi capitol in Jackson in an apparent protest against the tenor of the campaign. | On Monday, several nooses were found at the Mississippi capitol in Jackson in an apparent protest against the tenor of the campaign. |
| Signs alongside the ropes urged voters to elect "someone who respects the lives of lynch victims" and "remind people that times haven't changed", according to local media. | Signs alongside the ropes urged voters to elect "someone who respects the lives of lynch victims" and "remind people that times haven't changed", according to local media. |
| This election became more competitive after a video emerged earlier this month of Ms Hyde-Smith - who is the incumbent senator - saying she would be "on the front row" if one of her supporters "invited me to a public hanging". | This election became more competitive after a video emerged earlier this month of Ms Hyde-Smith - who is the incumbent senator - saying she would be "on the front row" if one of her supporters "invited me to a public hanging". |
| For many, the comment evoked past lynchings of African-Americans. | For many, the comment evoked past lynchings of African-Americans. |
| Comments became a rallying call | Comments became a rallying call |
| Analysis by Chris Buckler, BBC News, Mississippi | Analysis by Chris Buckler, BBC News, Mississippi |
| Many said this was Cindy Hyde-Smyth's election to lose - and some will argue she seemed to try pretty hard. | Many said this was Cindy Hyde-Smyth's election to lose - and some will argue she seemed to try pretty hard. |
| Joking about a public hanging in a state with a history of racially-motivated lynchings wasn't just insensitive - it was a rallying call for opponents. | Joking about a public hanging in a state with a history of racially-motivated lynchings wasn't just insensitive - it was a rallying call for opponents. |
| A number of businesses even asked her for their donations to be returned. | A number of businesses even asked her for their donations to be returned. |
| Eventually there was an apology but by then the comments had come to overshadow Senator Hyde-Smith's campaign and everywhere she faced questions about racial division rather than the election race. | Eventually there was an apology but by then the comments had come to overshadow Senator Hyde-Smith's campaign and everywhere she faced questions about racial division rather than the election race. |
| Despite everything she can console herself in the knowledge that this was a decisive win. | Despite everything she can console herself in the knowledge that this was a decisive win. |
| President Trump, who congratulated her on the result, will also be patting himself on the back. He undoubtedly helped to motivate his supporters with appearances in Mississippi at eve-of-election rallies. | President Trump, who congratulated her on the result, will also be patting himself on the back. He undoubtedly helped to motivate his supporters with appearances in Mississippi at eve-of-election rallies. |
| Yet Democrats and their candidate Mike Espy may well claim some sort of moral victory. In a state widely regarded as a Republican stronghold they made this run-off election a genuine battle. | Yet Democrats and their candidate Mike Espy may well claim some sort of moral victory. In a state widely regarded as a Republican stronghold they made this run-off election a genuine battle. |
| In his statement admitting defeat, Mr Espy pointedly wrote that Mississippi's future would be brighter than its past. | In his statement admitting defeat, Mr Espy pointedly wrote that Mississippi's future would be brighter than its past. |
| According to the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP), Mississippi had the highest number of lynchings in the nation from 1882 to 1968. | According to the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP), Mississippi had the highest number of lynchings in the nation from 1882 to 1968. |
| Mr Espy condemned his rival's comment as "reprehensible"; Ms Hyde-Smith maintained there was no "negative connotation". | Mr Espy condemned his rival's comment as "reprehensible"; Ms Hyde-Smith maintained there was no "negative connotation". |
| The Democrat has himself come under scrutiny for his 2011 lobbying work in the Ivory Coast, whose former despot Laurent Gbagbo is on trial at the International Criminal Court. | The Democrat has himself come under scrutiny for his 2011 lobbying work in the Ivory Coast, whose former despot Laurent Gbagbo is on trial at the International Criminal Court. |
| Mr Espy was agriculture secretary under President Bill Clinton, but resigned under a cloud of corruption allegations, on which he was later acquitted. | Mr Espy was agriculture secretary under President Bill Clinton, but resigned under a cloud of corruption allegations, on which he was later acquitted. |
| Ms Hyde-Smith, meanwhile, was further criticised when photos surfaced of her posing at the home of Confederate President Jefferson Davis, with the caption: "Mississippi history at its best." | Ms Hyde-Smith, meanwhile, was further criticised when photos surfaced of her posing at the home of Confederate President Jefferson Davis, with the caption: "Mississippi history at its best." |
| A video of Ms Hyde-Smith apparently encouraging voter suppression also emerged on Twitter. | A video of Ms Hyde-Smith apparently encouraging voter suppression also emerged on Twitter. |
| That recording showed the senator saying there were some liberals "who maybe we don't want to vote - maybe we want to make it just a little more difficult [to vote]". | That recording showed the senator saying there were some liberals "who maybe we don't want to vote - maybe we want to make it just a little more difficult [to vote]". |
| Her campaign later said the comment was a joke and the video had been "selectively altered", the Washington Post reported. | Her campaign later said the comment was a joke and the video had been "selectively altered", the Washington Post reported. |
| At a recent debate, Ms Hyde-Smith gave a qualified apology to anyone she had offended, while adding that opponents had "twisted" her words "as a political weapon". | At a recent debate, Ms Hyde-Smith gave a qualified apology to anyone she had offended, while adding that opponents had "twisted" her words "as a political weapon". |
| President Donald Trump travelled to Mississippi on the eve of the vote to campaign for Ms Hyde-Smith. | President Donald Trump travelled to Mississippi on the eve of the vote to campaign for Ms Hyde-Smith. |
| "I know her, and I know she apologised, and she misspoke," the Republican president told reporters on his way to the state. | "I know her, and I know she apologised, and she misspoke," the Republican president told reporters on his way to the state. |
| He painted Mr Espy as a far-left ideologue who would "rather protect illegal aliens than people who live in Mississippi", and questioned how he "fit in with Mississippi". | He painted Mr Espy as a far-left ideologue who would "rather protect illegal aliens than people who live in Mississippi", and questioned how he "fit in with Mississippi". |
| Had he won, Mr Espy would have become the first black senator for Mississippi since the Reconstruction era following the US Civil War. | Had he won, Mr Espy would have become the first black senator for Mississippi since the Reconstruction era following the US Civil War. |
| Mr Espy's campaign had pushed the idea that electing Ms Hyde-Smith would stoke a lingering view of Mississippi as a racist southern state. | Mr Espy's campaign had pushed the idea that electing Ms Hyde-Smith would stoke a lingering view of Mississippi as a racist southern state. |
| "We can't afford a senator who embarrasses us and reinforces the stereotypes we've worked so hard to overcome," one ad for the Democrat said. | "We can't afford a senator who embarrasses us and reinforces the stereotypes we've worked so hard to overcome," one ad for the Democrat said. |
| Mr Espy needed to overwhelmingly win the black vote and a substantial number of white voters to unseat his Republican opponent. | Mr Espy needed to overwhelmingly win the black vote and a substantial number of white voters to unseat his Republican opponent. |
| Why was the election still unresolved? | Why was the election still unresolved? |
| After Republican Senator Thad Cochran resigned in April, a special election for Mississippi's US Senate seat was arranged. | After Republican Senator Thad Cochran resigned in April, a special election for Mississippi's US Senate seat was arranged. |
| Under the state's law, if no candidate wins over 50% of the votes, a runoff election must take place. | Under the state's law, if no candidate wins over 50% of the votes, a runoff election must take place. |
| On 6 November during the mid-term elections, both Ms Hyde-Smith and Mr Espy received about 41% of the vote. | On 6 November during the mid-term elections, both Ms Hyde-Smith and Mr Espy received about 41% of the vote. |