She has declined to debate all three challengers before the Nov. 6 election

Hyde-Smith says she's open to debating Espy in Senate runoff

A Republican appointed to the U.S. Senate in Mississippi says she would not mind debating a Democratic challenger if they get into a runoff for a special election.Sen. Cindy Hyde-Smith tells The Greenwood Commonwealth she thinks Mike Espy "would be very civil."Hyde-Smith was appointed to temporarily succeed Republican Sen. Thad Cochran, who resigned in April.She has declined to debate all three challengers before the Nov. 6 election. They are Espy, who's a former U.S. agriculture secretary; Chris McDaniel, who's a Republican state senator; and Tobey Bernard Bartee, a Democrat who is a former military intelligence officer.If nobody wins a majority, the top two advance to a Nov. 27 runoff. The winner will serve the final two years of a six-year term Cochran started.

A Republican appointed to the U.S. Senate in Mississippi says she would not mind debating a Democratic challenger if they get into a runoff for a special election.

Sen. Cindy Hyde-Smith tells The Greenwood Commonwealth she thinks Mike Espy "would be very civil."


Hyde-Smith was appointed to temporarily succeed Republican Sen. Thad Cochran, who resigned in April.

She has declined to debate all three challengers before the Nov. 6 election. They are Espy, who's a former U.S. agriculture secretary; Chris McDaniel, who's a Republican state senator; and Tobey Bernard Bartee, a Democrat who is a former military intelligence officer.

If nobody wins a majority, the top two advance to a Nov. 27 runoff. The winner will serve the final two years of a six-year term Cochran started.