Appointed GOP Senator from Mississippi is Former Democrat, Voted for Hillary Clinton
Peter D'Abrosca
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A former Democrat who switched parties in 2011 and voted for Hillary R. Clinton in 2008 is running to keep the U.S. Senate seat to which she was appointed in April.
“No one should be surprised that Cindy Hyde-Smith voted for Hillary Clinton,” said Tanner Smith, spokesman for conservative populist candidate Chris McDaniel, who is Hyde-Smith’s primary opponent. “She voted exclusively in Democratic primaries before opportunistically switching parties to run for statewide office in 2011. Why wouldn’t she have voted for Hillary? Thankfully, Mississippians have an opportunity to right this wrong in November by electing Chris McDaniel, the only lifelong Republican and true conservative in the race.”
A website run by Remember Mississippi PAC details Hyde-Smith’s past support for leftist causes.
“Just another swamp creature from the D.C. Lagoon,” says the banner on the site. “Cynthia Hyde-Smith: Taking Mississippians for another ride.”
Hyde-Smith was appointed by Mississippi Gov. Phil Bryant in March to fill the vacant seat left by Sen. Thad Cochran (R-MS) after his retirement. President Donald J. Trump did not support the appointment, and will not endorse or campaign for Hyde-Smith.
Prior to Hyde-Smith’s appointment, McDaniel was the sole Republican running for the Senate seat.
“[Gov. Bryant is] following the orders of the Washington establishment’s Mitch McConnell,” McDaniel said of Hyde-Smith’s appointment. “Knowing the establishment’s opposition to conservatives, it was not at all surprising that they would choose a former Democrat.”
“Democrats never shy away from increasing taxes, and Cindy Hyde-Smith’s record on taxes deserves a closer look,” Remember Mississippi PAC’s site says. “As a state legislator, she voted for unpopular tax hikes, such as a tax increase on cigarettes and for new fees on hospice beds. Meanwhile, as she was increasing Mississippians’ tax burden, she made sure she voted to increase state taxpayers’ contribution to her state pension plan. She voted for a 300% increase in the contribution from the state – a burden on over-taxed Mississippians.”
Hyde-Smith also has well-documented ethics issues.
She has used campaign funds to pay off credit credit cards, and in 2014 spent $24,000 of campaign funds on a new car, and $1600 on tickets to an entertainment venue in Mississippi. In 2012, she paid herself $5,500 from her campaign funds. She failed to document the purpose for any of these expenditures.
“Cindy’s method of reporting on her campaign finance reports shows how little she values transparency,” the website says. “The entire reason we have those campaign finance reports in place is to shed light on how campaign funds are being used. Cindy, apparently, feels she is above the rules. Her reports, with their extreme lack of transparency, make accountability from voters very difficult.”
Hyde-Smith has a poor record on the issue of immigration, too.
[Hyde-Smith] authored a bill to use Mississippians’ tax dollars for programs for illegal immigrant children,” the website says. “As State Agriculture Commissioner, she supported allowing an influx of foreign workers into the state, undermining our state’s workforce. When it comes to American workers, Cindy has consistently favored crony politics and the Big Business agenda. Maybe that’s why the Chamber of Commerce – one of the largest organizations in favor of granting amnesty to illegal immigrants – has endorsed her?”
“Cindy Hyde-Smith is a former Democrat, but she’s a through-and-through liberal. She may have rejected her party label, but she has never stopped being a liberal. Her record proves that.”
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