NEW YORK (JTA) — A candidate in Arkansas for the U.S. Senate reportedly referred to Sen. Chuck Schumer as "that Jew."
State Sen. Kim Hendren, a Republican, said Thursday that he was wrong to refer to the religious affiliation of Schumer, a New York Democrat, during a Republican Party committee meeting last week, The Associated Press reported.
Hendren was quoted by conservative blogger Jason Tolbert as calling Schumer "that Jew." The candidate said he could not recall the exact wording of his comment.
"I ought not to have referred to it at all," Hendren said. "When I referred to him as Jewish, it wasn’t because I don’t like Jewish people."
Hendren said he made the reference as he talked about comments that Schumer made criticizing some elements of the Republican Party.
"I shouldn’t have gotten into this Jewish business because it distracts from the issue," Hendren told AP.
Representatives of Schumer declined to comment on the matter.
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