A Democrat politician allegedly called her Asian-American rival 'that ching-chong' and discouraged voters from supporting her because 'Chinese immigrants are taking over.'

Rep. Bettie Scott is said to have made racial slurs against Rep. Stephanie Chang as they ran in the Democratic primary for the state Senate last Tuesday.

While canvassing outside the Bethany Lutheran Church in Detroit, Scott allegedly called one of Chang's volunteers an immigrant and said: 'You don't belong here.'

Later that day, she was heard telling voters outside a school not to vote for 'the ching-chong,' according to liberal advocacy group Progress Michigan.

Rep. Bettie Scott (left) is said to have made racial slurs against Rep. Stephanie Chang (right) as they ran in the Democratic primary for the state Senate last Tuesday.

Chang's husband, Sean Grey, told the Metro Times that he heard Scott tell a voter: 'These immigrants from China are coming over and taking our community from us.'

She said it disgusted her to see 'black people holding signs for these Asians and not supporting their own people,' he claimed.

At one point Scott got into an argument with one of Chang's volunteers and said after the volunteer walked away: 'I told people not to vote for that ching-chong,' according to candidate Latisha Johnson who said she overheard the exchange.

Scott, who lost the primary to Chang by a huge margin, has apologised and said she would like to meet her next week to say sorry in person.

'Those are not the kinds of comments that should be made nor are they the kind of comments I would normally make,' she said in a statement.

'I humbly apologize to Rep. Chang and to her husband, Mr. Gray, and to the broader Asian American community.

She added: 'We live in a time of increasing divisiveness. As a state representative, I should never do anything to contribute to an atmosphere of divisiveness and for that, I am terribly sorry.

While canvassing outside the Bethany Lutheran Church in Detroit (pictured), Scott allegedly called one of Chang's volunteers an immigrant and said: 'You don't belong here'

'I look forward to meeting with Rep. Chang to express my apologies directly to her as soon as she's able to meet with me.'

Chang said she would agree to meet with Scott next week.

'It's not about me,' she said. 'It really is about the comments that she made to Asian-Americans and the community more broadly.'

The chairman of the Michigan Democratic Party said: 'We expect better from anyone who wants to call themselves a Michigan Democrat.

'Bettie Cook Scott needs to apologize to the entire Asian American community. If an individual doesn't share our fundamental values of tolerance, decency, and respect, they should find another party.'