BLUEFIELD, W.Va. — Former Massey Energy CEO Don Blankenship insists his new ad, in which he attacks Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell for growing rich from his “China family,” is not racist.

But in doing so, the West Virginia Republican Senate candidate may have furthered concerns of his own prejudices.

“Swamp captain Mitch McConnell has created millions of jobs for China people,” Blankenship says in the ad that debuted Thursday. “While doing so, Mitch has gotten rich. In fact, his China family has given him tens of millions of dollars.”

His initial defense of the ad was similar to one he gave during a Fox News debate Tuesday with fellow Senate hopefuls, Rep. Evan Jenkins and state Attorney General Patrick Morrisey, when he said: “Some people are Korean persons, some people are African persons — it’s not any slander there.”

He echoed that sentiment Thursday.