Walmart is requesting a refund of its $2,000 donation to Republican Sen. Cindy Hyde-Smith in the race for the US Senate in Mississippi, after actress Debra Messing publicly chastised the retail giant for funding her campaign.
Hyde-Smith had been the heavy favorite in the Nov. 27 runoff against Democrat Mike Espy until she made a joke about a “public hanging.” Hyde-Smith is white; Espy is black.
Hyde-Smith drew laughs and applause at a recent campaign event when she gushed about how highly she thought of a supporter, saying: “If he invited me to a public hanging, I’d be on the front row.”
Messing, who stars on “Will & Grace,” pointed out to her Twitter followers that “after lynching comments, Walmart donates to Cindy Hyde Smith.”
“Hi Debra. Completely understand your concern,” Walmart’s Twitter account responded. “Sen. Hyde-Smith’s recent comments clearly do not reflect the values of our company and associates. As a result, we are withdrawing our support and requesting a refund of all campaign donations.”
Walmart also reached out to actor Christopher Meloni, of “Law & Order: Special Victims Unit” fame, and said the company was requesting a refund. Meloni had pointed out that the company Boston Scientific had also asked Hyde-Smith for its donation back and asked Walmart to follow suit.
Hyde-Smith also lost the support of railroad company Union Pacific, which said on Twitter that it had requested a refund from Hyde-Smith’s campaign Monday.
While most Senate races were decided by voters on Nov. 6, in Mississippi a special election was held on that day to decide who would finish out the rest of retired Sen. Thad Cochran’s term. Hyde-Smith had already been appointed to the seat, but because she didn’t receive more than 50 percent of the vote, she’s now in a runoff race against Espy.
Espy has had the help of prominent Democrats including Sen. Cory Booker, who traveled to Mississippi to campaign on Monday. The day before, former New Orleans Mayor Mitch Landrieu was there. Sen. Kamala Harris (D-Calif.) will be on the trail with the former agriculture secretary on Saturday. And former Vice President Joe Biden has pledged his support.
Hyde-Smith has the backing of President Trump, who will hold two rallies in the state on Monday, the day before the runoff.
Republicans usually have a double-digit advantage in the deep red state.
“Unless there’s some Roy Moore-type scandal, she should come out on top,” University of Mississippi political science Prof. Marvin King told The Post, referring to the Republican Senate candidate in Alabama who lost a special election last December after allegations surfaced that he had preyed on teenage girls.
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