President Trump on Monday night heaped praise on embattled Sen. Cindy Hyde-Smith (R) on the eve of Mississippi’s nationally watched runoff election, while attacking…
President Trump on Monday night heaped praise on embattled Sen. Cindy Hyde-Smith (R) on the eve of Mississippi’s nationally watched runoff election, while attacking her Democratic rival as “far-left.”
In his first rally of the night, Trump urged voters to not get complacent and to vote for Hyde-Smith in order to boost Republicans’ Senate majority. He highlighted Hyde-Smith’s unwavering support for his agenda, particularly her vote for Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh.
Trump is headlining two rallies on behalf of Hyde-Smith ahead of Tuesday’s runoff to fill the remaining two years of retired Sen. Thad Cochran ’s (R) term in a race that’s become unexpectedly competitive in deep-red Mississippi.
Hyde-Smith will square off against former Agriculture Secretary Mike Espy (D), who’s vying to become the first black senator in the state since Reconstruction.
“I think it’ll be a very big day for Cindy, but don’t take any chances,” Trump said in Tupelo, Miss., on Monday night. “That’s happened many times before. That never works out well, just assume you have to vote.”
“Cindy is so important, so respected…. If we win tomorrow, we’ll be at 53-47 seats, which is substantially more than we had.”
With growing fears over holding the seat, national Republicans have heavily invested in the race with millions of dollars in advertising. Trump, in addition to Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S. C.), came to stump with Hyde-Smith to drive turnout in a runoff just days after Thanksgiving.
